


A Change in Plans

by Cat2000, spankingfemme



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Spanking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-03-06 18:42:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 83,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3144584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat2000/pseuds/Cat2000, https://archiveofourown.org/users/spankingfemme/pseuds/spankingfemme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Disclaimer: We don't own anything from the television series Gotham and we're not making any money from this fic</p><p>Summary: A what if? Tale where one small instance can change the whole of the universe of Gotham. Takes place in the episode "Arkham" where Oswald goes to Jim at his home letting him know he's returned to which Jim doesn't take to kindly to</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Unwelcome Guest

**Author's Note:**

> Warning(s): Eventual non-consensual spanking; spoilers for the first series; some violence
> 
> Authors: Cat2000 and spankingfemfatale
> 
> Author's Note: This is co-written with the amazing Jenna, who is playing Oswald and some secondary characters, while I'm playing Jim Gordon

The lights flickered in the dark street of the entrance to Jim and Barbara’s condo as the decay of the city enveloped the two men. Oswald had taken the initiative to show up at the detective’s home, the second part of a well-made scheme. Everything had hinged on this man taking pity on Oswald and not planting a bullet in his brain. Of course, Oswald knew men like Jim would hesitate to kill; and when Oswald had hit the cold waters of the river meant to be his death bed, the shot still ringing in his ear, Oswald knew he had read Gordon right. Now all that remained was to gain his trust.

 

Jim was angry and Oswald had to think fast, or all of his well thought plans would be dashed into a million pieces. Jim was a good man and he was also a smart man, not prone to be goaded into favors in the way most people in Gotham were. So Oswald appealed to the one thing he could offer a man like Gordon: the truth. The detective paused long enough to hear Oswald out, acknowledging his words if not agreeing with them.

 

Oswald turned to leave, but he stopped short, coming face to face with Barbara, wearing a mask of confusion followed by a dawning realization. “You’re Cobblepot… aren’t you?”

 

Oswald’s mouth worked to respond, not expecting this new player, as he gave her a sly, sheepish smile, nodding quickly. “Why, yes! Yes I am. You have no idea the hero you have at your side, ma’am.” He turned his smile onto Jim, eyes shining brightly. “This man saved my life… I was coming to thank him personally, but I’m afraid I may have offended him by coming here. I… I really should be going.” He raised a hand, taking two steps back with a slight bow, turning once more to leave.

 

“Wait,” Barbara’s voice called to his back; and Oswald stopped, turning back to face the two. Turning to face Jim, Barbara asked, “Is what he said true, Jim? Are you two in some kind of trouble?”

 

Jim knew there was no way this could end well. _Someone_ was going to realise that Oswald was back in town and that Jim hadn't in fact killed him. And he knew that was going to get back to Fish. If he was lucky, Barbara wouldn't be dragged into this... but he doubted he _would_ be lucky.

 

Still, the last thing Jim wanted was to pull Barbara into this situation along with him. Keeping a wary eye on Oswald, he addressed her. "Would you give us a minute? Please," he added, trying to be reassuring.

 

Barbara hesitated, clearly unhappy about being kept in the dark, but nodded her acceptance as she gave one last glance to Oswald before heading back inside the building.

 

For his part, Oswald’s smile widened as he gave her a small wave before hobbling over to stand next to Jim, that same devilish smirk still played across his lips.

 

Jim watched Oswald, unsure of how much he could trust the other man. He might seem sincere... but just by coming back here, he might have put them both in danger. "You should leave. Disappear. Before someone sees you and tells Fish you're still alive... if they haven't already." His voice was low, even though there was no one around.

 

Sensing the other man was on the edge, Oswald moved closer, responding, “Don’t worry; I’ll stay low. Fish won’t be looking for me- dead, remember!” Oswald gave a small laugh at his own joke, before continuing sincerely, “Let me help you, Jim. You need me and as much as you might like to deny it, I’m your best shot at getting any evidence to bring people like Falcone and Mooney down.”

 

"I don't trust you," Jim said bluntly. "I don't know why you want to help me, but I'm sure it's not because of your altruistic nature. What's in this for you?" Maybe he didn't really have a choice, but he wasn't going to throw in with Oswald without knowing what the other man's angle was.

 

Becoming slightly jittery at the other man’s intense stare, Oswald raised his hands in supplication. “Gotham is my home and you saved my life; what more reason do I need?”

 

"I also told you not to come back here," Jim replied. "Or do you want both of us killed for real this time?" He'd bought himself some security by faking killing Oswald... but the moment Fish, or someone else who worked for her, found out he was still alive, that security would vanish.

 

Oswald shook his head vehemently no. “Of course not!” Feeling it was his time to exit before Jim continued down his current path of logic, he backed away from the man as he continued to speak. “No one is going to find out about me; you’ll see, you and I are going to make a great team, Jim Gordon! I’ll be like the wind in the shadows and together, you and I will make a difference in Gotham.” Oswald spun around, now several feet away from the man, to hobble off down the city street to disappear around a dark corner.

 

***

 

It wasn’t until Jim had been dragged into the mobster Maroni’s restaurant did Jim see Oswald again. Of course, it was a compromising situation that thankfully ended well for both participants. And after all was said and done, Oswald decided he should probably apologize to the detective to regain some face. What better way to do so than with the assistance of Barbara? He figured playing the sympathy card with her first would help to butter Jim up and keep Gordon in his good graces.

 

Arriving well before Jim’s shift ended, Barbara opened the door to a disheveled looking Oswald. She was stunned, looking behind him quickly before inviting him in. “What happened to you?”

 

Oswald thanked her, letting Barbara lead him to their couch as he responded, “I’m okay, really. I, I made a mistake, and I wanted to apologize.”

 

Barbara’s eyes scrutinized Oswald now, “Mistake? What did you do, Oswald?”

 

Oswald continued to spin a story of working undercover to unearth Maroni’s plans and that his cover had been blown, so he had to resort to Jim’s help to save his life once more. Barbara listened with rapt concern, finally asking if Oswald wanted a hot tea. He accepted gratefully and Barbara stepped away, moving past the kitchen to the bedroom to call Jim privately.

 

When Jim answered, Barbara whispered, “Jim, I’ve got Oswald here and he’s pretty banged up. What the heck is going on?”

 

Upon reflection, Jim realised he probably should have expected something like this to happen. Whatever Oswald's angle, he clearly wasn't going to just stay under the radar like he had before.

 

"I'm on my way back," Jim said into the phone. "I'll tell you the situation when I get back." By then, he probably would have figured out what kind of spin to put on things.

 

Barbara replied, “Okay. I’ll see you soon.” Hanging the phone up, Barbara quickly made her way into the kitchen, pouring the promised tea and bringing it to Oswald.

 

Oswald smiled gratefully, taking the tea from her. “Oh, thank you, Barbara. Jim is lucky to have someone so kind at his side.”

 

Barbara smiled, sitting across from him. “Oswald, don’t you think what you’re getting yourself mixed up in is dangerous?”

 

Oswald chuckled. “We all do our part, I suppose.”

 

Barbara and Oswald continued to talk as Jim made his way through the busy Gotham streets back to their flat.

 

Jim was worried about Barbara, but he didn't actually think Oswald would harm her. Still, he was distrustful of the other man and he drove as fast as he dared towards the flat, finally parking outside and getting out of the car to enter the apartment.

 

Although Jim's first instinct was to grab Oswald and throw him bodily out onto the streets, he managed to calm himself down. His irritation crept into his voice, though, as he demanded, "What are you doing here now?"

 

Oswald rose with a start, feeling the other man’s anger vibrating off him in waves. “Jim! I, I just came by to express my sincere apology for dragging you into that mess earlier… I put you in danger and I didn’t mean for that to happen, I assure you.”

 

Jim glanced quickly at Barbara, trying to decide how much he wanted to reveal to her, before he addressed Oswald. "Really? Then what _did_ you you mean to happen?"

 

Oswald shuffled nervously. “I merely was trying to get a better angle on his operations, of course; it just didn’t work out the way I’d planned, is all.”

 

"That it didn't work out the way you planned is the only part of that I believe," Jim said. "I know you're working your own angle here. I might not have figured it out yet. That doesn't mean I don't know you have one."

 

Barbara stepped between the two, putting a hand on Jim’s shoulder. “Can I speak with you in private?”

 

Jim hesitated, glancing at Barbara before he looked at Oswald. "Don't do anything," he warned, before turning back to her and nodding.

 

Barbara led Jim back into the bedroom to talk, glancing over at the expectant Oswald before closing the door and speaking in hushed tones to Jim. “I don’t know what Oswald’s intentions are, but from the little I’ve talked with him, he seems to be on a rocky path. He’s already made clear his meddling seems to have dire consequences; not just for himself, but for you as well. Maybe we should keep a closer eye on him… I don’t know, to maybe keep you both out of trouble? He could stay here with us in the spare bedroom and I can keep tabs on him during the day. What do you think?”

 

"I think he can't be trusted," Jim said bluntly, even as he kept his own voice quiet. He sighed, meeting Barbara's gaze. "I don't think having him stay here is the best thing." For all he knew, that was what Oswald had been angling for, with the way he constantly showed up. Maybe it would give him a way of finding out what the other man was up to, but he'd have to watch everything he said or did.

 

Barbara sighed. “What do you suggest, Jim? From what he’s told me this afternoon, I don’t trust him out of our sight whether he means well or not.”

 

Jim nodded, although quite reluctantly. "I know. But if we have him staying here, we'll need to watch everything we do or say. I don't trust him not to use any information he gets against us."

 

Nodding her agreement, Barbara stated, “Everyone thought he was dead and he came back to town. He said he was going into hiding and got you dragged into some don’s clutches to verify his story. You can’t take him to the station, because people there still think he’s dead and might alert the gangster that wanted you to kill him, which could be a lot worse than the problems he’s already caused us. He seems more dangerous on his own than being supervised with the ability of gathering information. Besides, what could he really get from us that he couldn’t have got already? I’m going to stand behind any decision you make, so where we go from here is up to you.”

 

Jim's first instinct was that he didn't want Oswald anywhere near his and Barbara's home. His second instinct was to admit that she was right. It would be better to have Oswald where he knew he was. "I think you're right." As difficult as it was to admit that. "But don't believe everything he tells you. He isn't trustworthy."

 

“I can tell. I’ll do my best not to give him anything he can use against us.” Barbara opened the door for Jim to exit, following after him.

 

Oswald, for his part, was quite curious as to what the two felt they needed to keep secret from him, but had started to grow anxious by the time the two had reemerged. Still standing from when the two had exited, he gave his signature grin as he spoke, “Thanks for the divine tea, Barbara, it was a pleasure visiting with you. I can see I’ve interrupted you folks enough for one day, so I’ll just see myself out.”

 

Jim glanced at Barbara, really only to make sure that she was still all right with this, and then addressed Oswald. "We've been talking it over. It would be for the best if you stay here."

 

Barbara nodded her assurance to Jim and added, “We have a guest bedroom that you can stay in and the bathroom is across the hall.”

 

Oswald was taken aback; he wasn’t used to others extending their hospitality to him and he had not expected it at all from Jim, since the man didn’t seem to really like him at all. He blinked, regaining his composure, before replying, “Thank you, but you don’t have to worry about me. I have somewhere I can stay.” He didn’t want to admit that somewhere would be his mother’s.

 

"I think it'll be best that you stay here," Jim said. "Wherever you're staying now... it hasn't done enough to keep you out of trouble, has it? And if you're so determined to 'help' me... it'll be easier to do that while you're here, won't it?"

 

‘No, it most certainly wouldn’t be easier,’ Oswald thought. Jim would certainly be watching  his every move; and he was supposed to be with Maroni tonight for the casino job. If he wasn’t there, Sal may become suspicious and call off the heist, which would be devastating to his plans on ingratiating himself further with Sal and may make Maroni distrust him to the point of getting rid of him, since he was already on very shaky ground with the man. Without Maroni, Oswald had no leverage for Falcone, which was a death sentence in its own right, since Falcone currently controlled Fish. It was a slippery slope, but if Oswald wasn’t there tonight for the casino job, he really would need to stay low and have Jim keep him safe.

 

When Oswald became nervous, he often would become more animated. “I do want to help; of course I do! But, staying here? What if someone found out I was here, it could put the both of you in danger; I couldn’t bear the thought of putting you two at risk like that.”

 

Jim did his best to hide the suspicion that only became more pronounced with every word that came out of Oswald's mouth. "What plans are going to be ruined by you staying here?" he asked outright, knowing that Oswald definitely had more plans in place that Jim didn't know about.

 

Shaking his head no, Oswald smiled, now apprehensively. “None! I… I don’t have any plans, other than going to see my dear old ma. She’s been worried sick about me, I’ve no doubt. I’m sure you can understand a son wanting to put his mother’s fears to rest, am I right?” Jim had met Mrs. Cobblepot, so Oswald had hoped it would be enough of a bone for him to bite and allow him to leave, at least for tonight. He could work out staying with him on most any other night without putting a monkey wrench in the works.

 

"Why don't I come with you?" Jim suggested, fairly certain there was more to it than that... but despite how reluctant he was to have Oswald in the apartment, he wanted to make sure he knew where the other man was.

 

Oswald’s eyes widened a bit. “Uh, sure.” He laughed tautly. “I will warn, it’ll probably be a bit of an awkward reunion, coming to her looking like this with a detective at my side.” He hoped, if he made Jim feel uncomfortable enough, the other man would leave soon after the two had arrived. Mother hadn’t seen him since his ‘disappearance’, so Jim would likely be her savior, ‘bringing her boy back home’; which could complicate matters worse if Gordon picked up on the vibe and suggested Oswald stay with them to help keep him safe when around her.

 

Jim just nodded. "Finish your tea and then we'll go," he suggested. He was reasonably certain that Oswald would try to give him the slip, but he was prepared to stick close to the other man... as close as was necessary,

 

Fearing he may need every ounce of time available, Oswald quickly sipped the last of his tea and set the glass down on the coffee table. “Barbara.” Oswald gave her a slight bow as a goodbye and began hobbling towards the door with Jim hot on his heels. He let out a slight grunt of irritation as they headed down the hall towards the elevator. They would have to be on the twelfth floor, wouldn’t they? Oswald was unusually quiet now as the two boarded the elevator, the wheels in his mind turning desperately, trying to find a way to subvert Jim’s current course.

 

Jim was quiet as they boarded the elevator, but he didn't take his eyes off Oswald for even one second. He knew the other man would never be able to outrun him... but that didn't mean Oswald wouldn't resort to trickery to escape. Jim would be a fool to let his guard down... and he wasn't that.


	2. Subversion

The other man’s eyes were boring in to him, Oswald realized, making Cobblepot clam up outside of the necessary directions on where to park when arriving at Oswald’s mother’s apartment building, since Jim had already known the way. As they trudged up the stairs, making it to his mother’s doorway, Oswald gave one last attempt to get Jim to leave as his mother opened the door, exclaiming her surprise to see him. “Thank you for bringing me home, detective, mother is surely grateful. I’m a bit disheveled, as you know, so I think a bath and a change of clothes are in order.” Oswald hugged his mother, who seemed to grab hold of him in a vice grip, gibbering on praise to see him and asking what had happened to his face, much to Oswald’s annoyance, as he was hoping to quickly move past her and into the bathroom, leaving Jim in his mother’s company while he took a lengthy bath that would hopefully drive the other man to become bored and finally leave if he didn’t take the hint and just leave then and there.

 

Jim wasn't surprised that Oswald took so long in the bath, but he didn't give up and leave. Instead, he took the opportunity to talk to the other man's mother, taking advantage of her obvious gratitude to raise the possibility of her son being in danger and offering to take Oswald to a safe house until he was certain the danger had passed.

 

Of course, hearing the news that her son was in danger had the woman clutching her chest. “Who would want to hurt my poor boy?! You know, they always pick on him! Such a smart boy; they were so jealous, I tell you. But you, you would keep him safe?”

 

Oswald emerged from the bathroom, hearing this, and immediately became alarmed. “What? Mom, no! I’d be just as safe here; we don’t want to put the detective out like that. Tell him, you need me here, don’t you?”

 

Oswald’s pleading eyes had her rushing to him as she was prone to do. “Oh, my sweet boy! Look what they have done to you,” she crooned, touching the bruise on his face. “If these bad men can do this to you, what can I do to protect you?”

 

Oswald had to hold his temper back now; this was not what he was hoping for and having his mother on Gordon’s side was another obstacle. “I’ll be fine, mother! Believe me, I don’t need the good detective watching over me. Besides, if I’m not here, who will watch over you?” He shot Gordon a glare to let him know he was stepping on Oswald’s toes now.

 

Jim just looked at Oswald calmly. "I think you'll be much safer with me." And Oswald wouldn't be able to trick him as easily... though, of course, Jim didn't say that part out loud. "I could always have police protection brought here," he mused out loud, guessing Oswald would want that even less.

 

Oswald’s mother cupped his face. “Oswald, you listen to me, this man has promised me that you will be able to call me when you wish to and he can bring you to visit twice a week… I would prefer more, but I don’t want you to get hurt. This is for the best, no?”

 

Oswald’s lip quivered in suppressed anger; he didn’t want to give away too much to his mother about what he had been doing to get him in such troubles. Jim was definitely pushing the subject and, from the look on his face, was growing impatient. That was fine as far as Oswald was concerned; in fact, he’d make a point of pushing back. “Okay, mother, if you insist,” Oswald stated curtly staring at Gordon. “I’ll stay with detective Gordon, but I haven’t seen you in so long, surely staying one night to catch up won’t be a problem, will it?”

 

"I wouldn't advise it." Jim's voice was calm, but the look he directed at Oswald spoke volumes. "After all, you had to leave town once already because of the danger you were in." Danger that Oswald was responsible for... but Jim managed to bite his tongue and avoid actually saying that.

 

Hearing Jim speak of her son leaving town was enough for Oswald’s mother to interject. “The detective wants what’s best for you, Oswald, go with him now. I could not bear if you left me again for so long. Don’t you worry, I will pack you a bag with all of your favorite snacks and fresh pairs of socks and underwear.”

 

Oswald had to slap his forehead as embarrassment crept over him and he whispered harshly, “Mother! I can pack my own bag, thank you!”

 

Obviously used to Oswald’s fussing and having none of it, his mother waved him off. “Nonsense, you let me take care of that, you just relax.”

 

She wandered off into the back of the apartment muttering to herself on what not to forget to pack for him. As soon as she was out of earshot, Oswald whirled toward Jim with exasperation. “I thought we were making a good team the way we were. I know I made a mistake, but can’t you give me another chance? You’re making me feel like you don’t trust me to make this right.”

 

"I don't trust you," Jim replied bluntly. "I know you'll turn on me the first chance you get. At least this way, I know you're where I can keep an eye on you." After a quick glance at Oswald's face, Jim added, although reluctantly, "Besides, you'll be safe there. Whatever you've mixed yourself up in, it's gone too far once. Who's to say it won't again?"

 

Oswald looked momentarily wounded at Jim’s frank admission to not trusting him; he looked down distractedly to pick up a book off the coffee table, muttering more to himself than to Jim through clenched teeth, “I’ve managed this far,” before regaining his composure with a deep breath. Oswald nodded, looking Jim in the eye now, a controlled, forced smile keeping his anger at bay. “No, no, when you’re right, you’re right! I’m sorry. What was I thinking? I’ll pack my things and we can go without further delay.”

 

Oswald spun on his heel, his smile dropping from his face, replaced by a deep frown as he hobbled back to where his mother was still busy packing his things. Jim had to sleep at some point and once Oswald was sure he was able, he’d sneak out. Maybe he’d retire early enough and sneak out the fire escape, as he was pretty sure most of those buildings in the ritzier side of town had them. If there was no fire escape, he was pretty sure the couple would be asleep by the time he needed to go; the heist wasn’t supposed to go down until 2AM, after all. For now, Oswald just had to play nice and hopefully lower suspicions that he would want to leave tonight.

 

Jim didn't trust Oswald's sudden agreement at all, but he kept any comments to himself as he watched the other man. It was more than likely that Oswald planned to go somewhere tonight... and Jim had no intention of just ignoring it.

 

Entering his room, Oswald patted his mom’s shoulders. “I can take it from here.”

 

Gertrude turned to hug him tightly. “Oh, Oswald, you worry your mother so! I knew I should have taken you to live with my sister in Kansas; maybe when the detective says everything is okay for you, we will move there.”

 

Oswald sighed, pinching between his eyes. “No, mother, we are not moving to Kansas! Everything is going to be just fine, just please stop worrying about me.”

 

She shook her head, whimpering slightly. “You know I cannot do that, you are my only son; what would I do without you?”

 

Oswald frowned, slumping a little as he took the bag from her. He always hated when she made him feel like this. “I got to go, mom, you heard the detective.” He didn’t know whether he preferred the company of his mother or the pushy detective more, as at this moment, both were getting sorely on his nerves; mostly, he just wanted some time alone to think.

 

Gertrude nodded, taking a step back. “Yes, yes. You go now and I will see you soon.”

 

Oswald didn’t look her in the eye as he nodded, because he didn’t want to see her cry as she was inclined to do concerning him. “Of course, mother. Try not to fret in the meantime, please,” he stated softly as he turned to hobble quickly back into the living room, walking straight out without waiting for or acknowledging Jim as he left.

 

Jim nodded politely to the woman and then followed Oswald out, easily catching up with the other man, though he didn't outpace him. He was silent on the walk back to the car, already figuring out how he was going to handle the rest of this evening... not to mention however long Oswald would be staying with him.

 

Oswald stated once Jim had caught up to him, “Mother gets emotional, so forgive me for leaving so abruptly, but I thought it would be easier on her than a long goodbye under the circumstances. I really wish you would have left our new arrangement a little more in the dark for her; you’ll worry her senseless.”

 

Jim glanced sideways at him. "Really? I was sure you were trying to get out of our arrangement..." he commented, not believing Oswald in the slightest.

 

Smirking back at Gordon as the two loaded up back into Gordon’s vehicle, Oswald remarked, “I wouldn’t dream of it, detective. I am, however, rather disappointed in your lack of confidence in me, especially after I helped you save the mayor. What more do I need to do to prove to you that I’m on your side, I wonder?”

 

Jim didn't bother answering that, since he couldn't imagine anything that would make him trust Oswald. Instead, after making sure Oswald had got in the vehicle and wasn't about to run off, he began driving back to the apartment.

 

Oswald frowned as the other man blatantly ignored him, moving around the car and grumpily throwing himself into the driver’s seat to make their way back up town; this was going to be a chafing endeavor, he could tell. Trying to make the best of it, Oswald asked, “So, you and I will be becoming fast friends, James; tell me, what brought you to the lovely streets of Gotham?” Getting to know your opponents gave you leverage and if it was one thing Oswald did well, it was gathering information to use to his advantage.

 

Jim didn't really see them becoming friends... but he did see himself pulling Oswald out of more messes. Even so, he wasn't prepared to discuss his past right now. "That's not really relevant to our situation right now." And he wasn't prepared to give Oswald ammunition to use against him.

 

Getting a bit snappy from Jim’s unwillingness to play along, Oswald snapped, “What exactly is relevant to the situation here, then? If we’re going to be living under the same roof, there has to be some level of civility between us and frankly, James, I don’t think you are really trying here.” Oswald had dropped the smile now, as it was just the two of them and Oswald was over keeping up the appearances of compliance, since it was obvious Jim had no intention of being friendly.

 

"What's relevant to the situation is what you're planning to do," Jim replied. "Since you came back to Gotham, a lot of what you've been doing has affected me and what I'm doing. And not in positive ways."

 

Oswald’s eyes scrunched in frustration. “I could stop giving you information to save lives like the mayor… if that isn’t positive enough for you. Honestly, James, if I’d have known you were going to be such trouble, I never would have come back to see you!” Oswald folded his arms, scowling out of the passenger side window, hoping that Jim would go back to giving him the silent treatment.

 

"If you're so determined for us to get along, you should tell me your plans so we can work together," Jim said, not really expecting any information... though he was trying to put Oswald on the defensive.

 

Oswald had to think of something to feed Jim to placate him, while not letting on to what he was actually up to. “My plans will reveal themselves when I’m ready to act. Although I can say that you’re not making me feel very amiable to offering you any information again when I’m disposed to.”

 

"You're the one who needs to prove you're trustworthy... not me," Jim answered as he drove back to the apartment.

 

Taking in a deep breath to control the rising anger he was feeling, Oswald was glad to see they were pulling in to the parking garage. “You met me at a moment of weakness; since then, I have been doing nothing but trying to elevate myself to be an upstanding citizen of Gotham, James; but time will show you that you have misjudged me, of that I’m sure. Oh, look, home sweet home! I wonder if the missus will be cooking meatloaf tonight, as I sure am hungry.” Oswald gave Jim a cheeky smile as he shoved the door open and grabbed his bag, heading for the elevator.

 

Jim didn't waste any time in getting out of the car, locking it and following Oswald, not prepared to let the other man out of his sight. As they stood in the elevator, he wondered if he was going to need to sleep in the same room as Oswald.

 

Oswald was tired of conversing with Jim, deciding to save his charm for Barbara as they rode the elevator in silence once more. When the elevator stopped, Oswald followed Jim into the apartment, where Barbara seemed to be pacing about by the window, straightening as they came in. She gave Jim a big smile, obviously relieved to see them back. “Did everything go okay?”

 

She had been speaking to Jim, but Oswald commented, “James wasn’t very good company, but mother was happy to see me.”

 

"She's given permission for Oswald to stay here," Jim said, ignoring Oswald's comment. He turned to look at the other man. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you not to leave here without me." He was just as sure that Oswald would ignore that instruction.

 

Oswald frowned deeply. "What, am I under house arrest? Surely you don't expect me to just sit around here all day and night waiting to be chauffeured about, do you?"

 

Jim looked at him. "I think we both know you're not safe if you leave on your own," he said.

 

Oswald felt the urge to roll his eyes, instead only giving Jim a simple smile as he responded sarcastically, “I’m sure my safety is your top priority, James.”

 

Barbara cleared her throat, motioning to the kitchen. “Did you guys eat? I made a pot of spaghetti for dinner, but you were gone so long, I wasn’t sure if you’d eaten already while you were out. I made enough for everyone.”

 

Seeing this as an opportunity for some privacy, Oswald held up a hand. “I’m not overly hungry, so I think I’ll pass. It’s been a bit of a tiring day.” He accentuated the word tiring as he continued, “I think I’d like to just unpack my bag and get acclimated to my new room, if you don’t mind.”

 

Barbara looked to Jim, seemingly a little disappointed that the food she’d cooked for all of them would be passed by their new guest. “Sure. I’ll put some sheets on your bed and a fresh washcloth and towel for the bathroom.”

 

"You could always save some food... in case Oswald gets hungry later," Jim said, fully expecting to have to deal with the other man trying to sneak out later. And if that was the case, he'd make sure Oswald actually ate something.

 

Barbara nodded. “I’ll box him up a plate after we eat.”

 

She turned to walk off down the hall to set up Oswald’s room and Oswald had already turned to follow before she’d started that way, but hearing Jim suggest that they save him a plate had him hesitate with momentary awe that the other man would actually care whether he ate or not. He wasn’t used to anyone other than his mother caring about him and it struck him with a jab of guilt for how he’d just talked to the other man. He didn’t make a comment, though, lest he show any emotion when he really needed to keep himself psyched for coming up with a plan to leave unnoticed. Stealing his resolve once more, he stiffened, moving swiftly after Barbara now.

 

Pulling the toiletry items and sheets out of the hall closet, Barbara pointed down to the end of the hall. “The guest bathroom is the first door on the right and the guest bedroom is that last door there. I’ll make up your bed and if you get hungry, there will be a plate on the top left shelf in the fridge for you, Oswald.”

 

Oswald smiled almost shyly at her. Why was she being so nice to him? He had to wonder what she could possibly gain by doing so. Speaking in low tones, Oswald stated, “Thanks… you know, you really don’t have to do all that for me, though I appreciate it.”

 

Smiling back warmly, Barbara replied, “It’s no trouble. Besides, I think you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together and there will be plenty of time for you to make your own bed. But for now, why don’t you try to relax and get yourself adjusted? I’m sure this has got to be a bit disheveling for you.”

 

“About that…” Oswald started, but when Barbara turned to listen, he paused in what he was saying, deciding it would probably just be best to put on a happy face and keep his feelings to himself, smiling sheepishly, “You know, Barbara, you really are too kind. I am looking forward to getting to know you better in the near future.”

 

Barbara caught on to the fact there was something Oswald wasn’t saying, but left it alone, simply giving him another smile before retreating to the bedroom to continue her task.

 

Several minutes later, she returned to the living room where Jim stood, still looking uneasy. She came to his side, giving him a deep kiss to relax his nerves. “Come; sit down and let me fix you some dinner.” She smiled at him, giving his arms a gentle, loving squeeze before retreating to the kitchen to fetch the two a plate of food and set them on the table.

 

Jim sighed, allowing himself to relax... at least a little, even if he couldn't bring himself to relax all the way. "What has he said to you?" he asked, walking over to the table and taking a seat. "I suspect he might try to sneak out later... I'm going to have to keep a look out for him."

 

Barbara joined Jim at the table with two glasses of tea. “Said? Not much, but he did seem a bit lost in thought, looking about the room while I put fresh sheets on the bed. Of course, we did just kind of turn his world upside down. You think he’s planning on trying to sneak out? It could be why he’s holed himself away in the bedroom, then, I suppose. I guess that is going to be a problem if he isn’t really willing to stay; it’s going to be hard to keep him out of trouble. Maybe we should look in to settling other places than Gotham, Jim? This place has seemed to give us nothing but problems since we arrived and this Oswald guy isn’t making it any easier for you.” She leveled him with an imploring look. “Is staying in Gotham really worth all this trouble?”

 

"I can't just leave," Jim replied. "I have responsibilities here." He hesitated. "I want you to feel safe, though, and if you don't feel safe here... you don't have to stay. As much as I'd like you to," he said.

 

Barbara shook her head. "No; if you want to stick it out, I'll be right behind you all the way." She reached across the table to squeeze his hand, letting him know he had her full support.

 

Jim gave her a relieved smile. "I'm glad you understand." He turned his hand over to gently squeeze hers in return. "Leaving would feel wrong. I'm committed to changing Gotham for the better. No matter what it takes."

 

“I’ve no doubt that if anyone can fix Gotham, it will be you, Jim.” Her eyes shone her love as she spoke to him. Jim’s stalwart resolve to make Gotham a better place, even though the corruption ran so deep, it made it not only difficult but also dangerous, was one of the qualities Jim had that Barbara admired wholeheartedly.

 

The two continued through a peaceful dinner where they talked about other things less serious to deflate for a time and, once finished eating, they relaxed on the couch.

 

Jim enjoyed the rest of the evening with Barbara and tried to ignore his growing concerns about Oswald.

 

It soon became time for Barbara to retire to bed. Jim did go with her, but he knew he could sleep lightly enough that he'd know if Oswald tried to leave the apartment. Or anyone tried to enter.

 

Stretching out on the bed alongside Barbara, Jim closed his eyes, but didn't fall into a deep sleep. He was uneasy, both with Oswald in the apartment and with everything that was happening in Gotham.

 

***

 

It had been around 6PM when Oswald and Jim had arrived back at the flat, and currently it was going on 11PM. He was regretting not eating dinner as his stomach now grumbled. Oswald had been pacing about the room for a good hour waiting for Jim and Barbara to finally stop stirring. The first thought on climbing down the fire escape was a bust since it seemed this particular room did not have windows to easily climb out of especially with his bad leg. No, he was going to have to leave out the way he’d come in which made this whole endeavor a lot trickier.

 

Why didn’t he have a cell phone like everyone else in this day and age? Oswald had always seen them to be rather dangerous with the line of work he was in and his propensity to get himself in a position where any information obtained off of him could be potentially hazardous in the wrong hands. He fancied himself to be the sort to not need one in his dealings, but hind sight is always twenty-twenty. If he had had a cell phone, he could have likely called Maroni to at least let the man know he may be running late, reschedule the meet up, or to at least have been able to notify someone to pass along the message.

 

The living room had been still for thirty minutes or so Oswald noted having dropped to the ground to peer out under the door to see the lights were now off. He cracked the door listening hard, but he didn’t hear any moving about. Good. It was now or never he thought as he slid the door open and crawled in to the hallway tracing his hands along the wall as he fumbled blindly towards the front door. His heart was thudding in his throat, but he managed not to knock anything over or create a ruckus on his way to the front of the apartment, and he found himself exhaling in relief as he turned the locks, eased the door open, and slid outside of the apartment. He had done it! If there was no need to be quiet at the moment, he would have whooped for joy, but instead he settled for a confident smile as he straightened his jack and began limping towards the elevator.


	3. Cards on The Table

No matter how quiet the movements had been, Jim stirred as he heard the unmistakeable sound of someone leaving the apartment. Knowing instantly who it was, he got out of bed, careful not to wake Barbara, and headed to the door.

 

Jim had made sure to stay in his clothes, just in case something like this happened, so he diidn't need to concern himself with getting dressed as he quietly slipped out of the apartment, spotting Oswald's form only a few metres ahead of him.

 

Not bothering to call out, Jim hurriedly followed the hobbling figure.

 

Oswald had not been the wiser that Jim was only feet from him as he moved briskly to the elevator, pushing the button.

 

Coming up behind Oswald, Jim reached out and grasped the other man's shoulder. "I knew you'd try sneaking out."

 

Oswald stiffened at the sound of Jim's voice, drawing his shoulders up in anticipation when he felt the heavy hand clamp down. He supposed, deep down, he had known he didn't have much hope of getting by an on alert detective, but he had had to try. Turning awkwardly to face the man, Oswald stuttered, "Jim! I... I know this doesn't look good, but I really have to go take care of something right now. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to get you involved. I will admit, it is kind of against the law, but doing this is going to get us back in with the Don, Salvatore Maroni... so you can understand, as your informant, why this is so important, right?"

 

"I understand you're sneaking out against my explicit instructions," Jim replied, his voice serious. He didn't waste any time in starting to pull Oswald back towards the apartment. He wasn't exactly sure what he'd do when they got there... but he had a few ideas.

 

“Wait! Jim! Just… just let me explain!” Oswald dug his heels in, trying to slow Jim down, but the other man was much stronger than he was and moved him easily towards the door, while Oswald flopped and slid behind him.

 

"I don't think there's any explanation that will make this better." Or any that Jim would believe. He reiterated again, to himself, that at least half of what came out of Oswald's mouth couldn't be believed as he all but dragged Oswald back into the apartment.

 

“Better? You don’t get it! If I’m not there, that’s it! I won’t be able to help you anymore! Maroni isn’t going to trust me and how can I get you information if I have no connections? I really will be a dead man walking!” Oswald was speaking in fast, frantic clips now, trying to get Jim to see reason.

 

"It isn't about helping me and you and I both know that." Closing the door, Jim turned to face Oswald, while still keeping hold of him. "You're only concerned with saving your own skin. You've been trying to manipulate me from the start and I'm going to end it. Now."

 

Oswald’s eyes were wide with fear; end it? Had he misread Jim? Oswald didn’t think the man capable of killing, but the tone of seriousness that had washed over him and his demeanor suggested danger. Oswald had seen many shades of cruelty in his short stint within the underworld of Gotham and he knew he’d better plead his case here and now. Holding out on the truth was always one of Oswald’s fortes and so it came tumbling forth in an effort to once more save his own skin. “Jim! Please listen to me! You’re right, I did try to manipulate you, but it’s only because of the very nature our paths crossed. I can still help you! Please! I’ll tell you everything, just don’t kill me!”

 

"I'm not going to kill you." As frustrated as Jim was with the other man, he didn't like that Oswald thought he would do that. He looked around the apartment and then pulled Oswald through to the living room, heading over to the couch.

 

Breathing a little easier at Jim's admission, Oswald assumed Jim meant to sit him down for a serious talk and his fear was replaced with annoyance as he spat, "We don't have time for this! Let go of me this instance!" Oswald had worked Jim in to his plan, so when the time came and Maroni and Fish were taken care of, Oswald would be able to hand Jim enough evidence to get rid of Falcone, leaving him to be the top dog in Gotham's underworld. Oswald had not, however, predicted that Jim might also get into his way as well… at least not until his meddling would be considered beneath his concern.

 

"You aren't in control here." Jim's voice was serious as he reached the couch. Taking a seat, he didn't waste any time in pulling the other man across his lap. He had a split second to decide whether he was going to go through with this or not, but he was serious with his instructions to Oswald and with that thought in mind, he slid his arm around Oswald's waist to hold him in place.

 

Oswald was too stunned to resist, seemingly confused by the action until the other man's arm drew around his waist and a dawning realization came over him. "What are you doing? Hey! No! You can't!"

 

Oswald didn't have a lot of mobility, but he found himself squirming fiercely now. His own mother had never spanked him; he'd be damned if it was going to happen now!

 

Simply tightening his hold, Jim brought his hand down in a firm swat on the centre of Osald's bottom, before repeating it. "When I give you an instruction, I expect you to obey it," he said seriously.

 

The explosion of pain was unlike any pain Oswald had experienced. He’d never been very adept at taking pain, but he quickly realized this particular pain was going to wear away at him rapidly due to its exactness. He squalled out in surprise, jerking about angrily. “Ow! Damn it! Cut it out!”

 

"You seem to think you have control over this... over me," Jim said, swatting with every other word. "You don't. It's fairly clear that you're in over your head and they're going to see through your manipulations. If not now, then soon."

 

Oswald’s back arched as Jim continued to pepper his backside. This really hurt and Oswald was finding that it made concentrating on any eloquence in speech rather difficult as he screamed out the first thing that came to mind at Jim’s words. “Okay! I get it! I don’t have control! We can talk this out without violence! Please!” Oswald’s mind reeled with a mass of emotions from anger, to fear and finally confusion. This chosen tactic was not anything in the scope of what Oswald predicted might happen if Jim had caught him sneaking out; and what was more flabbergasting to Oswald were Jim’s words of concern. Why did Jim care? Oswald supposed that his alarm must stem from fear for himself and Barbara, but something in the back of his mind niggled at the concept that Jim wasn’t the type to let fear rule him, especially not to this extreme.

 

"This isn't violence," Jim pointed out, his hand landing hard and with unerring accuracy, not so much as loosening his hold on the other man. "And talking to you hasn't worked so far. I'm sure you were planning on sneaking out as soon as you realised I was serious about you staying here."

 

Oswald let out a small whimper at Jim’s declaration, becoming rather desperate in the fact that, no matter how he bucked, the other man’s hand found its target. The loss of control was probably the worst aspect, leaving Oswald feeling helpless to the whims of Detective Gordon’s resolve. Jim had been right, of course, and this fact had Oswald hesitate a moment before the onslaught of the continued stinging had him frantically assessing what he could say to get out of his current predicament. “You’re right! I… I was planning on sneaking out and I’m sorry! I really should have spoken to you on the importance of this meeting!”

 

"There's a lot more you should have spoken to me about," Jim said, his voice still serious. "Even now, there are things you're hiding... things you're not telling me. You're still trying to manipulate me." He started bringing his hand down a little harder and faster.

 

How could a punishment meant for children have such an effect? Oswald absently wondered, as he tried to hold back any further conversation in lieu of the fact he was almost more afraid of what Jim would do if he did know the full truth. Although, the faster Jim’s hand descended, the harder it was for Oswald to think of anything outside of getting the man to stop swatting him and so Oswald sputtered out, much to his own chagrin, “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know! Just please stop!”

 

"I think you can talk just as well like this." Especially since Jim suspected that Oswald wouldn't be able to concentrate enough to keep on lying. He said as much to the other man. "I suspect you'll be more honest."

 

It was maddening to be trapped like this and Oswald let out an inarticulate scream as the sting became unbearable without any form of relief in sight. He had to cave, he realized, or Jim was just going to keep applying this unrelenting torture. "I was supposed to meet Maroni to pull off a robbery! I had an inside man and doing this job should get me closer to Maroni! Isn't that what we both want?"

 

"I think what you and I want are very different things," Jim said. "You're furthering your own agenda. Why?" He paused, but only so that he could start drawing Oswald's pants down.

 

Oswald tensed, feeling the other man pulling at his pants. His head spun around anxiously as he blurted out in a panic, “No!” He was reeling at Jim’s words and the divestment of his clothing served to make him blush more fiercely than, moments ago, he thought was possible. The skin there he could see was already a deep shade of pink, which only served to humiliate him further. Oswald was tired of dancing around the truth with the man, as it seemed the detective could read his intent clearly. Responding in quick bursts, Oswald tried to get out what he believed Jim was really after, “Yes! I wasn’t being entirely truthful with you… of course I was furthering my own agenda! I… I’m tired of being a lackey and I saw Maroni as a way of moving up through the ranks, so I could get Fish back for what she’s done to me… My plans were solid, but you! You are ruining them with your intrusiveness! I picked you because I thought you were a good man, Jim!” Realizing at that moment he may have given the man a little more information than he intended with that last sentence, Oswald moaned pitifully, “Please stop! I promise I won’t try to leave again without permission!”

 

Barbara’s voice now cut through the dark in alarm, having been awoken by the noise. “Jim? What’s going on?” She stumbled wearily in to the living room, stopping in her tracks as her mind pieced the scene in front of her together.

 

Oswald, for his part, ducked his head in embarrassment silently, cursing himself that he had not been quiet enough not to wake Barbara.

 

Jim didn't actually release Oswald, even though he hadn't been planning to wake Barbara up. "Barbara... you should go back to bed," he said. He couldn't really figure out how to explain this, since it had been a spur-of-the-moment action.

 

Oswald, sensing Jim's hesitation, reacted. "Barbara! Help me! Talk some sense into him! He's gone insane!"

 

Barbara blinked, unsure how to react now. "Jim? Are you... are you really spanking him?" It was a rhetorical question, she knew, but she was having a hard time wrapping her mind around what she was seeing.

 

"Can we talk about this later?" Jim was sure he could justify himself to Barbara, but he didn't want to reveal his thoughts to Oswald. He might be reluctant to do any lasting harm to the other man, but he was pretty certain that if he let Oswald know that, he'd be dealing with a lot more than this.

 

Oswald countered quickly to his only chance at getting out of his current situation. "No, Barbara, please don't leave me alone with him!"

 

Barbara's eyes went back and forth between the two men, her brow furrowed in confusion before she decided it was best to leave and let Jim sort out whatever was happening. Barbara, unfortunately for Oswald, trusted Jim completely, giving him a short nod. "Okay. I'll be in the bedroom."

 

She turned to leave and Oswald called out her name in desperation, but Barbara didn't answer his plea, leaving him once more with Jim. He visibly gulped, turning back to Jim, more afraid than ever that he would continue his onslaught of vicious slaps to his already very sore rear. "Please, Jim! You've made your point, I swear I won't lie to you, you have my full attention!"

 

"This isn't just about lying to me," Jim said, but didn't bother covering what he knew Oswald was already aware of. Lifting his hand, he began swatting Oswald's bare backside, though kept the swats a little bit lighter than the ones he'd already been dishing out.

 

Oswald's heart sank at Jim's words and he visibly jerked as the spanking continued now. The momentary break had allowed a reprieve, but fresh pain caused his tolerance to go out the window as a steady stream of, "Ow, ow, ow!" escaped Oswald's lips.

 

He didn't want to cry, but as he thought of the position he was in currently, looking back to see Jim's stern expression while his hand now turned his bottom cherry red and the way Barbara had looked at him before abandoning him to his fate, Oswald's emotions overloaded and the standing tears that had thus far glazed over his eyes now spilled down his cheeks as Oswald quietly took pity on himself.

 

Jim started speaking as he continued swatting, not even slowing his rhythm. "You can't sneak out. The main reason you're here is for your protection. I didn't lie when I told your mother out. I also had a fairly good idea you intended to sneak out anyway."

 

Oswald practically wailed his frustration now. “I don’t need your protection! Please! I can’t take any more!” Unable to help himself any longer, Oswald began to sob, feeling utterly defeated by the man.

 

Jim's hand slowed to the stop and he rested it gently on the other man's back. "You're not doing that good a job of protecting yourself," he pointed out. "It went far enough for Fish to order your execution. If it gets that far again, you won't get another chance. The next person will be someone certain to put a bullet in you."

 

Sniffling and trying to catch his breath, Oswald warbled out, “Why do you care if I live or die?” It was the question that had Oswald’s gut churning throughout this whole episode. Any other person that would have dared to do this to him would have suffered his wrath and hatred, but Jim was different. Oswald didn’t hate him as much as he wanted to because he knew, deep down, that even though this experience was one of the worst he’d ever had, Jim didn’t truly mean him harm and in fact was truly trying to keep him safe, albeit in a manner Oswald would rather do without.

 

"Because I think you could be a good person." With a lot of help and guidance, maybe. Jim knew that Oswald had probably done a lot of bad things since coming back to Gotham. He also knew that he couldn't turn his back on Oswald and expect the other man not to try and knife him in it. Just because the potential was there didn't mean anything was going to change immediately.

 

Jim's words echoed in Oswald's mind. He hadn't felt like a good person in a long time and for Jim to state he thought it was possible gave him some small hope that he actually could. Oswald looked back now with red-rimmed eyes to ascertain whether or not Jim was actually serious, before timidly questioning, "Do... do you really think so?"

 

"I do," Jim answered, firmly and without hesitation. "Do I think it's going to be easy? No. But I think that, with help and guidance, it's possible for you to get there. Which is why I doubt this spanking is going to be the last one."

 

Oswald thought to himself that he was pretty damn sure it was going to be the last one if he could help it!

 

Jim's words laid heavily on him, as he wanted the other man's approval, but what Jim wanted and what Oswald wanted were at opposite ends of the spectrum. He had a feeling that Jim's new commitment to keep him 'safe' would definitely not coincide with his aspirations of becoming Falcone's replacement.

 

Wiping the tears from his face, Oswald responded, "It means a lot coming from you that you think well of me. I'll do my best not to disappoint you... but if we're going to keep working together, I'm going to have to go to this meet up tonight; you do realize that, right?" Oswald's body had tensed, waiting to hear how Jim would respond, because not going was going to cut off a lot of options for him, and after this recent bit of incentive, Oswald wasn't willing to try to take off any time soon.

 

"I don't think going to the meet is a good idea," Jim said. "I think you're pushing things too far." And if he was going to help Oswald be a good person, he needed to do that without the other man being under the influence of people like Maroni and Fish.

 

Oswald sucked in his frustrations with a deep breath. If this conversation had gone this way previous to Jim yanking Oswald over his lap, Oswald imagined his temper would have boiled over, but he was feeling quite subdued currently and all the fight he would have had had fled due to his current position. Instead, Oswald stated carefully, “No need to be so hasty… if you let me up, I think we can talk about this whole thing rationally.”

 

"We are talking about this rationally," Jim said. "You aren't going. I believe you can be a good man eventually, but not when you're being exposed to people like Maroni and Fish."

 

Oswald realized then that there would be no convincing Jim to let him go to see Maroni and he would have to relent in this way. He knew Maroni would require an appearance in some fashion and standing him up was out of the question. Oswald relayed his dilemma to Jim. “Okay… I won’t go, but I have to at least touch base with Maroni, or I’ll be seen in a very bad light. I don’t think I need to tell you how poorly that could reflect on me.” Oswald was sure even calling Maroni would likely not go over well, but it would at least give him the opportunity to contact him without risk of harm later, when Jim didn’t have such an eagle’s eye on him.

 

"I don't want you contacting him without me there," Jim said. "You can use my phone while I'm standing here, but any further attempts to contact him without my authorisation will get you spanked again." His tone was clear and no-nonsense.

 

Frowning at the mention of another spanking, Oswald gave a small nod of acknowledgement. “I won’t.” Hoping to be done with the spanking and get off the other man’s lap, he groaned. “We can call him now and be done with it.” It felt like defeat to give in to Jim’s demands so readily, but at the moment, Oswald felt like he had very little choice other than to obey the other man’s wishes if he ever wanted to remove himself from his current plight.

 

The thought of losing leverage with Maroni was still upsetting; since meddling with these people, he’d been beaten severely, had his leg broken irreparably, had his face placed on a meat slicer and he had been and still was actively trying to be murdered. Not to mention that was just within the past couple months… this lifestyle, he had to admit to himself, would likely be his undoing in the end; but the fact Jim was pushing his buttons and forcing his hand brewed a deep seeded anger within him. Oswald wasn’t a man to be told what to do, and he wouldn’t be cowed so easily. The first chance he was capable, Oswald would show Jim who had the upper hand.

 

"You can call now. In here. After you've had something to eat," Jim said, aware that the plate of food left for Oswald was still untouched. He patted the man's back gently, almost unaware he was doing so, before replacing Oswald's clothing and then helping him to his feet.

 

Oswald’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he was helped up; the dichotomy of pain and caring left him perplexed emotionally. His anger subsided slightly under the sudden pang of registered hunger and Jim’s attempt to care for him in this way. He hadn’t eaten in quite some time and that spaghetti was sounding rather good right about now, even though his mind was still a torrent of mixed thoughts on what he needed to do next.

 

He choked out a muttered, disdainful thanks and moved sorely over to the table, glad to be under his own control again. He watched Jim warily as the man moved into the kitchen, pulling out the plate and placing it in the microwave. His stomach was still doing flip flops at the contemplation on how to word what he would say to Maroni to appease Jim, but leave an opening to continue dialogue at a later date.

 

Setting the microwave to heat up the food, Jim decided, after a moment's consideration, to pour Oswald out a glass of water. He set it in front of the other man and then, once the food was warmed up, he put the plate in front of Oswald, too, along with some cutlery.

 

Oswald briefly imagined taking the fork and jabbing the other man in the leg with it and making a run for it, but the thought was fleeting at the likelihood Jim would evade and overpower him, being a trained policeman and all. No, Oswald wasn't about to go down that road; too many variables with bad consequences. Instead, Oswald lowered his eyes to his plate and grumbled, "Well, I guess at least you feed your prisoners decently."

 

"If you were a prisoner, you wouldn't be staying here in my apartment," Jim said. "I meant what I said to you." But he still had no intention of turning his back on Oswald. Or giving the other man the opportunity to escape.

 

Oswald sighed, feeling rather ragged from the day's events. Why did Jim want to help him? He couldn't understand what Jim could gain from it and the thought left him feeling wary and curious.

 

Oswald used the time to eat to reflect on what he was going to say to Maroni and before he knew it, the food was gone. He made a mental note to compliment Barbara on her cooking. He looked to Jim expectantly now having decided he was ready, "Alright, let's call him," Oswald announced, a hint of annoyance tinting his voice. He was going to do what Jim asked, but that didn't mean he had to pretend he liked it.

 

Jim nodded and took the empty plate and glass to put them in the sink, before he picked up his phone and passed it over to Oswald. "You know what I expect you to say." He didn't add, 'And what I don't expect you to say,' but it did hang in the air.

 

Simply smiling tightly, Oswald took the phone. "Of course," he stated, before dialling Maroni's number. The phone rang five times before one of Maroni's lackeys picked up and Oswald stated he needed to speak with the Don, all the while fixing Jim with a smug smile.

 

"Where the hell are ya?" Maroni's voice rang through the receiver with obvious irritation.

 

Oswald smiled devilishly, "Oh, I'm hanging out with my buddy, detective Gordon here on the corner of 26th and 8th. You know, that fancy brownstone on the corner?" Oswald had risen from his seat by now, in case Jim got any funny ideas. "Yeah, that one. Apartment 33F... I'm calling you, you see, because Jim thinks meeting with you is a bad call and I tried to tell him you wouldn't likely agree, so I called you to talk some sense into him." Oswald's smile widened as he thrust the phone towards Jim and stated, almost cheerfully, "Here, it's for you."

 

Jim knew he should have expected something like this, especially given the look Oswald had given him while making the call. He fixed Oswald with a hard, almost warning stare as he took the phone from the other man. Two could play at that game. He spoke evenly into the phone. "Oswald has found employment elsewhere, but he'd rather I was the one to tell you he's no longer going to be working with you."

 

Oswald visibly blanched at Jim's statement, but kept his mouth shut, letting the scene play out.

 

Maroni let out a humorless laugh. "Is that so? Well, that is unfortunate; but we do kind of have plans and I don't like wasting my time getting all dressed up to go out and all... you can understand that, can't ya? I'll tell you what, I'm gonna send a friend by to pick him up and after our little get together, we'll see how he feels about other employment opportunities."

 

"While I'm sure your plans are noble and law-abiding," Jim said, rather pointedly, "I'm going to have to decline the offer." His tone of voice was calm, but somehow still managed to hold a hint of suggestion that he could still make Maroni's life difficult, even if prison was out of the question right now.

 

All the humor dropped out of Maroni’s voice. “Excuse me? I don’t think you quite understand, my friend. If you know what’s good for ya, you’ll have the little gimp on the front steps of your apartment by the time his ride pulls up, or we might have to have a serious discussion, you and I. Capiche?”

 

Jim could have continued, goading Maroni into a further conversation, but he decided against it. Since he didn't think he needed to add anything to what he'd said already, he hung up without another word.

 

Oswald tried to hide his glee of one-upping Jim by placing a look of sincerity on his face. “I tried to tell you that there just is no reasoning with the man.” Backing away towards the door, Oswald added, “I should probably be going now; we don’t want to upset Maroni further.”

 

Jim frowned, but didn't say a word, realising he was going to have to go about this a different way. If he wanted to stop Oswald, he was clearly going to have to do so in a much more subtle way... and an idea was already forming inside his mind.

 

Seeing Jim had nothing to say, Oswald gave him a small smile and a wave as he opened the door. “Don’t wait up,” he said, almost casually, moving through the door and swiftly hobbling to the elevator to get downstairs; a small thrill of fear still lingered at what Jim might do as he’d left. Although, once in the elevator, he breathed a sigh of relief being out of arm’s length of the brutish detective.

 

He frowned, rubbing fiercely at his bottom, which still radiated the tingling reminder of his and Jim’s most recent painful encounter. Oswald swelled with anger at the thought of what Jim had done to him, but he couldn’t help thinking over the event and what he’d divulged to Jim under duress. The words ‘I know you can be a good person,’ weighed on him as he trudged towards the entrance of the brownstone and Oswald frowned, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt, knowing what he was about to do, but he quickly pushed it out of his mind as he exited, seeing the familiar Cadillac of one of Maroni’s men pulling up. He smiled, waving at the car as it pulled up, and gingerly climbed inside.


	4. Full Circle

As Oswald left, Jim didn't waste any time. He left the apartment and headed for the stairs, sending a quick text to Barbara to let her know where he was going. He reached outside in time to see Oswald getting into the Cadillac, but hung back so neither would notice him, long enough to get into his own vehicle.

 

The trick to a good tail was to make sure it wasn't too obvious and Jim was very careful not to make it look like he was following, keeping space between the two cars.

 

Oswald's car sped down to the other side of the city, heading towards the casino. Maroni was waiting impatiently when the two arrived. Sheepishly, Oswald slid out of the car, holding his hands up in supplication."I, I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Don Maroni! Detective Gordon needed a little convincing to let me leave."

 

Maroni pointed a finger at him. "I thought you was going to try to bail out on our little venture... That made me a little unhappy." At that moment, one of Maroni's thugs landed a quick jab to Oswald's side, sending the other man crumpled to the ground. Maroni continued, "Don't disappoint me."

 

Even keeping his distance from the othe car, Jim didn't miss Oswald crumpling to the ground. A split second later, he had his cell phone out and was making an anonymous call to provide a tip-off about action happening at the casino.

 

Oswald had alerted his inside man well before they had arrived, using Maroni's lackey's phone, so the heist was well in motion by the time the sirens could be heard in the distance. Maroni and his men started scattering as, even though they could pay off the police, not knowing if the police officer was on the take or not could be a costly endeavor to have to dig out of. 

 

The handoff was a disarray, but it was made before everyone dispersed like roaches when the lights were turned on. In the confusion, Oswald's ride sped off without him and when he tried to get into one of the cars that were left, he was met with only having the doors slammed in his face before they took drove off with screeching tires, leaving Oswald behind.

 

Hearing the sirens closing in, Oswald ran as quickly as his disability allowed around the corner and into an alleyway, trying to get away from the approaching police cars. His heart thumped violently in his chest from the fear of getting arrested and the physical exertion. He couldn't be caught out here like this!

 

Jim had been casing the casino after calling in the tip, so he saw when Maroni and his goons fled the scene, leaving Oswald to try and escape on his own. Shaking his head, Jim pulled up alongside the other man and reached across to open the door. "Get in."

 

Oswald froze in his tracks, hesitating momentarily as he eyed Jim cautiously, knowing that the other man would likely be none too pleased with him; but the sound of closing in sirens was enough to have Oswald decide he'd rather take his chances with Jim over the prospect of getting arrested and most likely killed by Fish like a sitting duck.

 

He jumped in the car, turning to face Jim as they sped through the alleyway and back onto the streets. He cleared his throat to try and dislodge the uncomfortable tightening there as he stated, "I appreciate you not leaving me back there." Oswald didn't quite understand why, but being next to Jim now had him feeling a level of shame, making Oswald break away eye contact to stare at the floor.

 

Jim kept his eyes on the road ahead of him as he drove, even as he replied to Oswald's comment. "I'm not going to leave you there where you could get arrested. I told you the truth. Getting arrested isn't going to help you change."

 

Oswald gulped, thinking back on their previous conversation before he’d left the brownstone. The glare Jim had given him promised retribution as he’d self-assuredly waved goodbye with all intensions of never getting within arm’s length of the other man again. He studied Jim now, not quite sure what to say, but knowing he had to say something. “You know I didn’t have a choice, right? If I didn’t go, Maroni would have killed us both along with Barbara… he got what he came for, though, so that may put him in a better mood,” Oswald also thought that it proved to Maroni he was at least someone useful, although having the fuzz show up while the heist was going down likely didn’t reflect well on his ‘sure thing’ spiel he’d given the don prior to the job. He’d worry about that later, though. The fact that they got the score at all should appease Maroni enough not to want his head on a pike.

 

"I think you weren't even prepared to try," Jim said. "You had every intention of going on this heist. I saw the look when you gave me the phone." He fiinally pulled up outside his apartment, after making sure there weren't any pursuers.

 

Swallowing hard, Oswald nodded. “Well, I can see how it may have looked as if I planned to go on this outing, but I assure you that it really was in both of our best interests regardless. I will admit that I wasn’t exactly displeased to be leaving your company at that point, after all you put me through, but I think we can both move past this incident and look towards a more prosperous future… working together.” Oswald had to concede to himself that he was getting rather worried the closer the two got to the apartment, as his rear end was still sore from the previous bout the two had shared and Jim had threatened a repeat of the same if circumstances warranted; and Oswald planned to do his best to assure Jim his motives were necessary.

 

Jim didn't concern himself with responding to Oswald's comment. He knew the other man had played him deliberately and nothing Oswald could say would convince him otherwise. He wasn't too fond of the idea of repeating the spanking he'd given Oswald a short while ago, but it was quickly proving to be necessary that he step in and keep his word when it came to the consequences.

 

Parking the car outside the apartment, Jim got out and then stepped round to open Oswald's door. "Come on. We're going inside."

 

Going inside was the last place Oswald wanted to go with Jim, but from the severity of the glare Jim was fixing him with, Oswald knew he had better comply without resistance if he was going to have a chance at talking Jim down from any rash actions.

 

Oswald timidly climbed out of the car, moving towards the elevator. "I think I'll retire to my room for the remainder of the morning... I'm sure you're quite exhausted as well." It was true, Oswald was exhausted, but he was far from tired. His adrenaline was pumping and his heart fluttering as a wash of numbness settled over him. He was quite fearful of what the near future was likely to bring.

 

"You can go to your room once we've finished talking," Jim said, once they were in the elevator and there was less room for Oswald to try and bolt... not that he would get very far anyway. Even so, he made sure he was positioned between Oswald and the doors... just in case. He really didn't feel like wrestling with the other man.

 

“Can’t we talk tomorrow?” Oswald asked, rather feebly. “This day has been quite taxing and I doubt that I’ll be much of a conversationalist at the moment.” Oswald was pushing for more time in an attempt to calm Jim down and give himself a chance to regroup his own thoughts.

 

Jim shook his head. "We're going to talk tonight," he stated firmly. "Besides, I'm not sure there's much you can say that would change anything." Or anything that he would believe.

 

Oswald visibly shuddered, his hands absently reaching back to cover his ass, as if he’d be able to deter Jim from just snatching him up and going to work as the man had earlier that evening. Knowing exactly where this was going, Oswald tried to make Jim see reason. “You’re right! I… I can’t change anything, but please hear me out! What I did could have been approached much differently… I know that now! It was an error of judgment on my part, but I was afraid your stubbornness was going to get us all killed… I… I’m not used to relying on anyone else and I made a rash assessment of the situation because of fear. I should have consulted you further… I realize that now and I can swear to you that such a foolish action won’t be made on my part again.”

 

Jim snorted softly, well aware that Oswald would say anything to save his skin... or his butt, in this case. "Maybe you even think you mean that right now," he said. "But I warned you what would happen again if it was necessary." When the elevator doors opened, he wasted no time in dropping his hand to Oswald's shoulder and guiding the other man out and to the apartment.

 

Oswald's breathing became rapid as he shouted in earnest, "Wait! Just... just give me a chance to make it up to you! There really is no need to result to violence!"

 

Small beads of perspiration dotted his forehead as Oswald was led once more back in to Jim's apartment; deep down, he was well aware Jim had all intentions of following through, because once the man settled on a course of action, he was like a locomotive; there was no stopping him.

 

Jim moved Oswald quickly through to the apartmnent, where his shouting wouldn't attract as much attention. "I'm not expecting you to make it up to me. When I told you not to meet Maroni, that was as much for your protection as anything else."

 

Oswald was running out of ways to counter Jim's responses, so he lashed out in anger at the futile position he felt he was left in. "Well, I NEVER asked for your protection; I can take care of myself!"

 

Jim closed the door and led Oswald through to the living room. "You can't take care of yourself," he pointed out. "More than once, your manipulations have got you hurt. And badly hurt."

 

Oswald didn't like this line of thinking; it made his anger fade as he thought about how many times he'd almost been killed or had been given quite a beating. He had reminded himself it was for a bigger win when the game played itself out.

 

Having been brought back to the couch where it had all started last time they'd done this dance, Oswald began to panic, spinning about to face Jim, placing his hands out in front of him in a gesture of keeping a distance between the two. "I know you're angry with me and I'm truly sorry for the way I acted towards you. Please, can't we just started over with an understanding that I will be sure to run any further notions I have by you before acting?"

 

Jim paused and made eye contact with Oswald. "I'm not angry with you," he stated. "But you are going to stop manipulating me. And you _are_ going to stop putting yourself in danger. Each and every time either of those happen, this will too." Deciding he wasn't prepared to argue with Oswald (it was late and he was tired), he decided to just get it over with and sat down on the couch, pulling Oswald across his lap.

 

Oswald let out a choked whimper as he found himself once more over Jim's lap. His stomach was twisting in knots and he wanted to scream and fight, but Oswald knew to do so would only make this whole thing that much worse to endure. He wanted to cry already and Jim hadn't even begun to strike him. His voice broke as he pleaded, "Please don't do this to me! I'm still so sore... I don't think I can take anymore!"

 

Jim didn't actually intend to spank too hard or too long - just enough to prove that he was serious about this. "I told you this would happen again when it needed to." Deciding not to bare the other man (Oswald was probably sore enough that it wouldn't make a difference), Jim brought his hand down in a firm swat that was stinging rather than really hard... enough to make an impression, but not unbearably so.

 

Jim's steel hand making contact and his words were affirmation enough to Oswald that he wasn't going to get out of the consequences Jim had laid out previously. Even though Jim was taking it easy on him comparatively, the fact that Oswald was still quite tender made it sting just as badly as he'd originally remembered.

 

Oswald hissed as he involuntarily jerked about every time Jim's palm made contact. The anticipation of the next blow was almost as bad as the feeling left behind in its wake. He was ashamed to hear his own voice already calling out in rhythm to the tempo of delivered swats. Inwardly, he had hoped to hold out at least for a little while, but Oswald's pain threshold was already dismally low; and that, mixed with the torrent of feelings he was experiencing, had him mewling, "No, no, no, please have mercy on me, Mr. Gordon! I'm sorry, believe me I am! Just tell me what you want from me and I'll do it!"

 

"It's simple, Oswald. I want you to not fight me. Or try to manipulate me. Or do anything that proves I'm wrong about you having the capability to be a good person." All of those were probably tall orders, but they were still doable. Jim just had to resolve to keep stepping in, until Oswald could manage on his own.

 

Oswald wailed desperately. “It… I… yes, of course! I can do that! I will! Believe me, I will!” Oswald didn’t know if he believed himself, but he was more than certain he was willing to agree with whatever Jim’s stipulations were to get him out of getting spanked any longer.

 

Jim just shook his head. "I'm not expecting that to happen straight away, or for there to be no slip-ups... but that's what I'll eventually expect from you." He had no doubts that Oswald was saying anything he could to stop the spanking.

 

Nodding vigorously, Oswald made his best efforts to show he was on board. "I...I won't disappoint you, sir!" The words that tumbled out of his mouth sickened Oswald, but it didn't exactly shock him that he was so agreeable; and he supposed that was what sickened him most.

 

Maybe, in the heat of the moment, Oswald really meant it... but Jim didn't think that promise would last. He was sure that trying to help Oswald do the right thing would become a full time job. In either case, he finished up with a final few swats, before resting his hand on the other man's back. "I don't expect you to be perfect, but I expect you to be as good as I'm sure you can be."

 

Oswald trembled, taking in big intakes of air as he attempted to regain control of himself. Realizing Jim had finally stopped slapping him, Oswald grimaced at the remaining tenderness that radiated from his posterior. He could tell, between this one and the last one, it was going to be a day or so before he'd be sitting comfortably.

 

He'd managed not to cry and that was a small victory, but he still felt as if he were close to tears, even though the spanking had concluded. Jim wanted this badly to set him on a better course and the sentiment wasn't lost on Oswald. Being a person who was always seen as a bit odd and not overly liked, the fact Jim wanted him to be a better person and that Jim was a better person worth looking up to was inspiring.

 

Oswald turned back to stare at the other man, searching for some falsehood lying there, but he didn't see anything but sincerity staring back at him. Oswald blinked and the tears he'd been holding back fell as he nodded, his voice warbling, "I'll... I'll do my best." Feeling embarrassed at the show of emotions, Oswald ducked his head and weakly added, "Can I get up now?"

 

Jim nodded, moving his hand from Oswald's back. "I know you're tired, but do you want to have something to drink before you go to bed?" He actually wasn't sure how to leave things after this, but he was unwilling to just ignore Oswald, feeling a lot of responsibility towards the other man.

 

Sniffing, Oswald wiped at his face, before sliding back off Jim's lap to the ground. He still couldn't bring himself to look at Jim and merely nodded affirmation, as he really was quite thirsty now; and having the other man leave would give him a moment to collect himself.

 

"All right." Jim moved off the couch and through to the kitchen. He poured out a glass of water, reflecting that he needed to check what kind of things Oswald liked to eat and drink, and then brought the glass back through to the living room.

 

After Jim had left, Oswald shakily slid carefully onto the sofa, only glancing up when Jim had arrived with the water. He took the cup gingerly, whispering a hoarse, "Thank you," before sipping the drink and putting all his focus on the cup. He ran unsteady hands up and down the glass, now feeling quite awkward after the fact. Jim must think him quite less of a man, he thought bitterly, a slight frown working its way onto his face now.

 

Although he wasn't sure if it would be accepted, Jim reached out and placed a hand on Oswald's shoulder, squeezing gently. "Do you want to tell me how you're feeling?" He was certain he could guess at some of it, at least, but he wanted to give Oswald an opportunity to talk.

 

Oswald jumped slightly, shoulders rising and tensing defensively upon contact of Jim’s hand, but realizing it was meant to be comforting, Oswald relaxed a bit as their eyes met. He still looked afraid and uncertain as he opened his mouth to speak, before closing it once more, gulping down the rising lump in his throat. He felt lost and afraid; not of Jim, but of the direction Jim was pushing him in and whether or not he was up to walking the path Jim thought he was capable of. His chest felt heavy and he lost eye contact again, answering almost inaudibly, “I feel… numb.”

 

Jim nodded, not all that surprised by the response. "I'd guess that you've never had someone step in and give you consequences for your actions before." He couldn't imagine Oswald's mother had ever been strict with him... and Fish and Maroni would have hurt him in much worse ways.

 

Oswald was offended slightly to be told that he needed someone to step in and give him consequences, as if he’d never suffered. His nose crinkled as he responded curtly, “I’m perfectly aware of what I’m doing and well aware of the risks.”

 

"And yet you've managed to get yourself badly hurt... and apart from your mother, is there anyone who really cares about you?" Jim asked.

 

Oswald’s mouth tightened into a small line; he really couldn’t think of anyone outside his mother who actually really liked him for more than what he could do for them, let alone cared about him. The tight line quivered slightly as Oswald thought on this, as he often tried to avoid this line of thinking, replacing it with thoughts on how, when he finally made it big, all his past ridicule would be far beneath him. People would worship him, but they would never truly care about him. He avoided the question, responding flippantly, “I’ve made mistakes in the past, but I’m a survivor.”

 

Jim knew full well that Oswald was avoiding the questions. "I can tell you're a survivor and that's where a lot of your actions come from. I care about you as a person. I know you can do better than your actions to date have shown. I tried to stop you talking to Maroni because I know he, and Fish, and everyone like them are dangerous and by manipulating them, you're playing with fire."

 

Jim was right, of course. Oswald realized the further down the rabbit hole he went, the higher the stakes became. It was terrifying and exciting. Above all, these games he played were how he proved his worth to himself. He had ambition, after all; and most of those thugs couldn’t even begin to touch on the brilliance of the plans he had made and enacted... even if they all hadn’t panned out like he’d hoped. Jim was supposed to be his pawn, not his savior. Oswald fixed Jim with a curious stare. The fact Jim admitted to care about him and was concerned for his safety was both touching and bewildering. He had brought this man nothing but trouble and yet he still wanted to help him. He asked doubtfully, “…And what do you expect me to do, Jim Gordon? I have nothing else going for me… I’m a dead man walking, after all.”

 

"I told you what I expect you to do," Jim said. "I don't expect change will come easy, but that's what the consequences are for. Working against the law and playing Fish and Maroni off each other is just going to end up with you getting hurt. Or someone putting a bullet in your head, because they're not going to make the mistake of someone sparing you like I did."

 

Oswald didn’t like the insinuation of consequences carried out by Jim for decisions he wanted to make, but he knew better than to mention as much. Instead he just sighed his discontent and nodded for Jim’s benefit as arguing with the man his points Oswald was more than sure would earn the man’s ire. “I’m very clear on what I need to do,” Oswald stated tiredly even though he didn’t disclose that what he felt he needed to do and what Jim felt he needed to do were very different. He rose stiffly, “If you don’t mind, I’m pretty drained, and I’m sure you are as well. Can we continue this conversation tomorrow?” Oswald knew better than to challenge Jim by trying to leave any time soon, and getting some rest would lend to a clearer perspective which he needed sorely.

 

Jim nodded, standing as well. "If you wake up before I do, you can help yourself to breakfast... and make a list of what you like to eat and drink, so that Barbara and I know for meals." He was tired himself and had to stifle a yawn.

 

Oswald smiled meekly. “I think I’ll skip breakfast, since it’s almost four in the morning… but maybe lunch.” He turned to move down the hall and added, “I’ll make that list… thank you.” Oswald shuffled down the hall, his mind still whirring about the possibilities of tomorrow. Stepping back into his room, he closed the door, moving over to the nicely made bed to tear the covers back and collapse into the soft mattress. Oswald let go of all thought for the moment; he had a feeling there would be plenty of time for contemplation after a bit of shut eye.


	5. Settling In

Jim sighed quietly to himself, not sure if he was doing the right thing... but at least he was doing _something_. He walked through to the bedroom, trying not to wake Barbara up as he undressed and slid into bed next to her.

 

Barbara stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she reached out to cup Jim to her. She mumbled, still quite sleepy, "I must have passed out... Is everything okay? It's really late?"

 

Jim slid his arms around Barbara. "Everything's fine," he said quietly. "I'm sorry I woke you... Go back to sleep. I'll tell you what happened when we get up."

 

She yawned, running her hand up the arm embracing her and squeezing it tightly to her as she mumbled softly, "Sounds good..." Once wrapped safely in Jim's arms, Barbara pleasantly drifted back to sleep.

 

***

 

Oswald woke a few hours later, blinking away sleep and having to assess where he was momentarily before yesterday came flooding back and he groaned, rising to sit on the bed only to frown, feeling the reminder of last night still tingling like a phantom sting, not only to his bottom but his pride.

 

Oswald frowned; it was not a pleasant reminder. He sighed, pulling himself out of bed and moving to the dresser, where his bag packed by his mother lay. Grabbing all the hygienic essentials he needed and a change of clothes, he moved slowly across the hall to the bathroom to take a long shower.

 

Barbara was already moving about the house, doing small chores and brewing a pot of coffee for Jim.

 

Despite having been up much later than he normally stayed awake, Jim came to earlier than he would have thought. He got out of bed and went through to the kitchen, planning to speak to Barbara about what had happened with Oswald in the early hours of the morning.

 

Hearing Jim come into the kitchen, she turned a bright smile on him. “Well, you’re up earlier than I expected. I’m glad you didn’t have to go to work today. The paper is on the table; why don’t you take a seat and I’ll bring you some coffee?”

 

Jim smiled as he took a seat, watching Barbara instead of picking up the paper. "I'm sorry I woke you up last night," he said, referring to both times.

 

Barbara waved him off. “You know you don’t have to worry about that.” Pouring herself a cup of coffee as well, she brought it to the table to join Jim. Looking at Jim with concern, she inquired, “So… what exactly was all that about last night?” She was unaware of the second instance, but having walked in on her fiancé spanking Oswald was no small amount of shock that she definitely wanted to hear the story behind.

 

Jim reached out to pick up his coffee and drink some, the caffeine helping to give him energy. "I caught him trying to sneak out and I realised I couldn't just let that go. But I wasn't prepared to do something that would cause him lasting harm. Or end up with him cut and bruised... needing to go to the hospital." He set the cup down. "I know it's going to take a lot of time... but I think he has a lot of potential to be a good person and do the right thing."

 

Barbara took it all in, giving a nod of acquiescence. “I don’t know Oswald, but from what I have seen of him, he seems… a little misguided. I did kind of push you in this direction to take Oswald in; and even though I didn’t think you’d have to go to such extremes, if you think doing so will help him get on the right track, I won’t question your methods.”

 

She took a pause to sip on her coffee, thinking on the matter a little more before responding further. “I think he needs a friend, Jim. If you’re going to get through to him, I think you need to show him there is something worth changing for.”

 

Jim nodded, taking his time to think over his response before speaking. "I've told him I believe in him. I don't intend to just be harsh all the time. Change has to come gradually... but I know it won't come at all if I don't believe it's possible."

 

Barbara smiled lovingly at Jim, reaching out to touch his cheek affectionately. “The size of your heart never ceases to amaze me, Jim Gordon.” Leaning in, she gave him a quick kiss and stood. “I know you’ve got to be hungry; how about I make you some eggs?”

 

Jim smiled. "Eggs sound really good," he admitted. "I asked Oswald to make a list of what he likes to eat and drink... I'll drive round to the store later on to pick up some more groceries anyway."

 

Barbara moved to the kitchen to start pulling out the eggs and pan; she cocked her head to the side, listening a moment. “The shower is running; he must be up as well.” She glanced back at Jim. “If you’d like, I can take Oswald out to pick up a few items; to give you a chance to unwind and both of you a breather?”

 

Jim considered the offer before nodding. "That might be for the best. I think I'm already making him feel a bit stifled and I'm sure we could both do with some space." And he felt it would give Oswald an opportunity to think out from what he was sure the other man considered his 'watchful eye'.

 

Barbara smiled, adding, “Besides, this will give me a chance to get to know him a little better too.”

 

Oswald had finished his shower and was just now turning the corner to enter into the main part of the house. He glanced up to see Jim sitting at the table and looked back down again, still a bit ruffled from the night before. He made a point as he shuffled forward to say good morning only to Barbara, before easing down into the chair furthest from Jim.

 

Barbara asked if he’d like some coffee and eggs, to which he gratefully agreed. She brought a cup of coffee over to set next to him. “Cream or sugar?” she asked.

 

Oswald smiled up at her. “Lots, ma’am, thank you.”

 

When she had returned with the items, she set them down for him to use and spoke. “So, Jim and I have been talking about restocking the pantry, since you’ll be staying awhile and I thought it might be nice if you joined me… saying you’re up to it?”

 

Oswald wondered if ‘up to it’ was concerning what she saw last night and he blushed slightly at the thought. Of course, another minute alone with Jim was considerably less appealing, so he simply gave her a wide grin, responding, “That sounds very nice, Barbara.”

 

Jim wasn't surprised that Oswald made a point of not saying anything to him. He could have just ignored the other man himself, but he remembered what Barbara had said about Oswald needing him as a friend as well. "How did you sleep?" he asked Oswald.

 

Oswald frowned, sipping his coffee as he grunted. "I'd sleep better in my own bed, but for a gilded cage, I suppose well enough."

 

"It isn't safe for you to stay in your own place," Jim said, trying hard to be patient. "I'm sure it's frustrating for you... but while you're here, you're not going to suffer any permanent damage. You're not going to end up in the hospital." He wasn't sure if the reassurance would help, but he wanted to lay it on the table anyway. Just in case.

 

Barbara interjected, "Oswald, I know Jim isn't your favorite person at the moment, but please try to see he's only got your best interests at heart."

 

Oswald wrinkled his nose thinking that Jim didn't have the right to take it upon himself to be his personal protector, but it was a little flattering that he would put forth such a concentrated effort on his behalf even if Oswald didn't want his interference.

 

He sighed feeling that perhaps civility would get him more in the way of freedom than his current course. Looking back up at Jim, Oswald gave him a small nod, "Of course, you're right Barbara. I apologize for my less than pleasant demeanor detective."

 

"It's not like I don't understand how you feel," Jim said. "And you don't have to be happy with me. When you're ready to talk about this new situation, we'll sit down and do that. But the one thing I do want you to know is that I'm not going to treat you like Fish... Maroni... the others."

 

Oswald grimaced, speaking softly. "I know you're not like them..." If Jim was, Oswald would already be six feet under, he knew. No, Jim was a good man; even if he was also a harsh man.

 

Oswald wasn't ready to talk about this new situation, since talking about it meant acknowledging it- and that was something Oswald wasn't prepared to do.

 

Barbara brought the two men a sizzling plate of eggs setting them down in front of each, and Oswald more than eagerly focused his attention on it to step away from the subject at hand. "Thank you, Barbara." He gave her a quick smile before digging into the food.

 

Jim began eating as well, smiling at Barbara. "Thank you," he said. "Are you going to join us? Or have you eaten already?" He didn't push Oswald to talk to him, thinking the bit of space might be helpful for both of them.

 

“I did earlier; you know I don’t eat much in the mornings anyway.” She squeezed his shoulder affectionately, giving him a wide smile, “But I thought I’d make meatloaf and my famous hash brown casserole tonight. Your favorite.”

 

Jim's smile grew and he wrapped an arm around Barbara's waist to hug her to him. "That sounds good," he said, his voice sincere.

 

She gave a small laugh, kissing Jim on top of his head before moving back to the kitchen to let the men finish eating while she made a quick list of groceries to pick up.

 

Oswald ate in silence, glancing up every now and again to watch Jim; and once he was finished, he brought his plate and cup to the sink, where Barbara grabbed them from him and quickly washed and stuck them in the strainer.

 

“Are you ready to go, Oswald?” she questioned, wiping her hands on a dish towel and hanging it back on the oven door.

 

Oswald glanced back at Jim, smiling at the affirmation that he wasn’t going to be a captive like he’d originally wondered. “Sure. I’m ready when you are.” He hadn’t premeditated on a contingency plan to leave just yet, but outings such as this would definitely provide a good avenue, he thought absently.

 

Jim carried his own plate and utensils over to the sink, washing them so Barbara wouln't have to. "I'll take care of some work while you're out," he said, kissing her cheek.

 

“Try to take it easy. I’ve got my phone on me if you remember anything you might want me to pick up,” she kissed him back grabbing the car keys off of the counter and heading towards the door, “Come on Oswald.”

 

Oswald practically chirped, “Coming,” as he gave Jim one last glance before following Barbara out.

 

Jim watched the two of them leave, then stepped through to his office to take care of the paperwork he needed to complete. He was a little worried, but he decided that Barbara would call him if anything happened. And since Oswald seemed to like Barbara, he figured there wouldn't be any problems between them.

 

***

 

Barbara set a brisk pace, moving towards the elevator before slowing, realizing Oswald was having pains to keep up with her stride. She smiled apologetically. “Sorry; I wasn’t trying to be rude.”

 

Oswald smiled back; he decided then he really did like Barbara, as she’d been nothing but nice and accommodating to him thus far. Sidling up next to her in the elevator, his smile widened as he felt much less constrained. “So, tell me, Barbara, what do you do… outside being Jim’s lovely fiancée, that is?”

 

She blushed at the compliment, responding, “Well, I own an art gallery downtown… in the art district.”

 

Oswald enjoyed culture, even if he wasn’t raised high society. “Really!” he stated overzealously. “I do so enjoy the arts.” As he said this, he bobbed his head enthusiastically, as if his words had not stated his interest enough.

 

Barbara’s smile widened and she let out a soft giggle. “I see. Would you like to go by sometime?”

 

Oswald was beaming now, genuinely happy to be invited. “I would enjoy that very much. Maybe we could go by your gallery before shopping? If that’s alright with you, that is… saying you don’t have any plans to get to.”

 

Barbara hesitated a moment, thinking that she did want to spend more time with Jim before he went back to work; but seeing as it was Saturday, and Jim wasn’t due back to the precinct until Monday, she figured a small trip to the art gallery might be a nice diversion for Oswald after all he’d been through. She nodded, her smile brightening as well. “I think that’ll be okay; although we can’t stay too long or Jim might worry.”

 

Oswald let out a characteristic snort of glee. “Of course not! Wouldn’t want to worry Jim.” Although, at this point, Oswald really could care less if the other man was to become upset and in some ways wanted to upset him just enough to aggravate him, but not enough that he’d have cause to do anything about it. Besides, the longer he could keep Barbara out, the longer he could think on what his next move would be. He knew one thing for certain: he had to get back to the cash he had stashed under the floorboards in the back hallway closet in his mother’s apartment. He hadn’t expected that he’d need to have grabbed it before, as he’d intended to slip Jim’s grasp rather easily.

 

The two headed to the art gallery and before both had realized it, they had been there going on four hours. Oswald was amazed at how much Barbara knew about the pieces in her gallery. He had expected her to be vapid in regards to the actual pieces, but she seemed to flourish with excitement the more the two conversed about them. She knew about the histories of the art, what they were worth (which Oswald definitely took note of) and how they came to be in her possession.

 

He discovered that she had in fact come from a wealthy upbringing, but she hadn’t wanted to be supported like her family had raised her to be. She had struck out on her own, wishing to prove herself, but she’d been humiliated and discouraged, having to return home once more. Oswald could tell this had bothered her and he related to that particular loss, seeing as he was still, or at least up until yesterday, had been living at home with his mother in the hopes of showing her that he was actually quite capable.

 

Oswald could tell, though, unlike his mother, Barbara’s parents seemed to be rather cold and uncaring; and this fact drove her to push herself past her previous humiliation, using the money set aside for her to open up her art gallery, for which she was slowly paying her parents back for, so that she could feel some semblance of freedom from them. She did not, however, divulge her pill problem to Oswald, although while the two were sitting on a bench talking, he had noted the prescription of valium in her open purse.

 

Seemingly shocked by the time, Barbara got up suddenly. “Oh my! It’s already almost five! We have got to get going, Oswald!”

 

Oswald rose, gesturing towards the door with a smile. “Yes. Yes. Let’s. We still have shopping to do.”

 

Barbara grimaced, taking her phone out to call Jim, now feeling bad that they would still be out for about an hour later getting the shopping done. She was surprised he hadn’t called, only to see that he had called four times in the past two hours. The volume of her phone had been turned down, unbeknownst to her, on the drive by Oswald, as he was definitely in no rush to be interrupted by Jim.

 

***

 

Jim had spent a couple of hours doing the paperwork before beginning to grow a little worried about the two. Although he was pretty sure that they were both safe, as the time continued to move past, he couldn't help growing more and more worried, which was why he'd tried calling Barbara repeatedly... at first just to check what time she was due back; and then, when there was no answer, because he was getting more and more worried.

 

When his phone rang with Barbara's number flashing up, Jim answered immediately. "Are you all right?" he asked, not bothering to hide his worry.

 

Barbara assured Jim they were fine. "I saw you called, but my phone volume was down. I must have done so and forgot to turn it back up. I'm so sorry to have worried you! We just kind of lost track of time here at the art gallery. I still have to head to the grocery store before coming home. We should be about another hour or so."

 

"All right." Jim relaxed, relieved to hear from Barbara. "I'm just glad you're both all right. I'll see you soon."

 

Barbara apologized again before hanging up making her best effort to hurry the rest of the trip along by only picking up the essentials to get back home and start on dinner.

 

Oswald was slightly annoyed that their outing was being rushed now as he didn’t really wish to return to the feeling of imprisonment the flat encompassed. Hanging out with Barbara had been surprisingly nice, and he was in no hurry to have it end. Nonetheless, he did his best not to let his disappointment be noticed.

 

For her efforts, Barbara was able to get all the necessary shopping done and get back to the brownstone in forty minutes, “We’re back!” Barbara called out bursting through the door with several grocery bags in hand while Oswald carrying a couple bags of his own followed much less enthusiastically behind her.

 

Jim had set out the table for three places and, when the two of them came in, walked over to Barbara to give her a quick kiss and then took some of the bags so that he could start putting the groceries away. "Did you enjoy the art gallery?" he addressed Oswald, trying to draw the other man into a conversation.

 

Oswald brightened at the subject. "I did, in fact. Barbara is quite knowledgeable, I found. I could spend all day there." Oswald's smile seemed to widen at the thought. He shuffled over to the kitchen counter, laying the bags down for Barbara to put away, and moved to the table, noting the set places and, feeling like contributing, offered his help. "Is there anything I can do, Barbara?"

 

Barbara smiled warmly at Jim, reciprocating the kiss and moving in to the kitchen to begin preparing food. "Dinner won't be ready for at least an hour, guys, so why don't you go relax in the living room?"

 

Oswald shrugged as he moved in the direction of the living room. "Sure."

 

"I can help you with the groceries," Jim offered. He wouldn't mind spending time with Oswald, but at the same time, he didn't want to abandon Barbara to do all the work herself. With his work, there wasn't much he could do to help her during the week.

 

Barbara smiled, waving him off. "Don't worry; I got a handle on this. Besides, you know cooking is my quiet time. Go ahead and relax." She leaned in to whisper, "Why don't you see if he'll play a game of checkers or chess with you? It'll give you guys a chance to spend time together."

 

Jim nodded and smiled at Barbara. "Give me a shout if you do need help." He walked through to the living room to join Oswald and smiled at him. "Do you like playing games? Checkers or chess, maybe?"

 

Oswald wasn’t much for chess; although he had the mind for it, he didn’t have the patience, “Checkers sounds okay, but maybe after dinner, we could all play some poker?” Now poker was a game Oswald could get into, using what he considered a much more suitable skillset.

 

"We could play checkers before dinner and then Barbara could join us for poker," Jim commented. "Maybe watch a movie... if that's something you like doing." It occurred to him that there wasn't much he knew about Oswald and he hoped to change that.

 

Oswald had not grown up with a TV in his home, as his mother found the news quite upsetting and the act of watching TV to be a waste of time. She had encouraged Oswald to read more; which made him clever in many ways, if not academic. Often bullied as a youth, Oswald kept his nose buried in a book and, as such, had not gathered much in the way of social skills and felt slightly awkward and uncomfortable in settings that required being a part of communal gatherings.

 

He couldn’t deny that he was very curious about Jim and, as much as it made him feel like an irrational victim of Stockholm syndrome, he really did want to be Jim’s actual friend. Oswald rubbed his hands together, nodding agreement. “I could go for that. I’m not well versed in the cinema, but I’m not averse to watching it either.”

 

"We can look through the movies we have after we've eaten and see if there are any that particularly catch your interest." As he spoke, Jim walked over to the small cupboard, where he and Barbara kept their games, to find checkers.

 

"A nice relaxing evening in sounds ideal." Oswald's smile widened at the prospect of just hanging out without any expectations. As Jim set up the board, Oswald's mind drifted back to the previous night and the fact, as nice as this was, he would still need to get back to Maroni and explain away where he'd disappeared to if he planned to report back to Falcone and eventually get his much sought after revenge against Fish.

 

Jim had to know he couldn't just sit around the brownstone doing nothing; and neither he nor Barbara could keep tabs on him 24/7. He hated the feeling of apprehension that came over him at the notion of Jim catching him and he decided he would definitely be very careful he had a solid plan in place when he did finally make his move.

 

Jim finished setting up the board and took a seat, indicating for Oswald to do the same. "Your move," he said, sitting back so as not to crowd the other man. He wasn't sure if he should bring up last night or not and decided to wait and see if Oswald indicated, one way or the other, if he needed to talk.

 

Oswald smirked, sliding the first piece forward. “I get to go first; that may prove to be your undoing, detective.” As the two moved pieces around the board, Oswald studied the board carefully before each move, tentatively placing his pieces, where Jim seemed to move with sure and direct actions; a testament to how each tended to approach the world as a whole.

 

Jim focused a lot of his attention on the board, but also on Oswald and reading the other man. He found himself caught up in the game and concentrating on it, not paying attention to what was going on around them. He expected Barbara would come in and tell them when dinner was ready anyway.

 

Jim had, much to Oswald’s chagrin, won the first round and Oswald had wanted to immediately play a second game, hating to lose. They had nearly finished their second game when Barbara called out to them, “Alright, guys, dinner is ready!”

 

Oswald clucked his tongue in dissatisfaction. He wanted to finish the game they’d started, feeling victory was his within the next few moves. “Just one moment, Barbara! We’re near a conclusion of the game!” As a second thought that he hadn’t considered Jim’s thoughts on the matter, his bright eyes turned up to meet Jim’s as Oswald gave him a sheepish grin. “Of course, saying you don’t mind finishing the game before adjourning to dinner, that is.”

 

"We can always finish after dinner," Jim suggested, knowing that Barbara had spent a lot of time cooking, but not wanting to suggest halting the game right then and there. "I don't know if you're hungry... but I am," he added.

 

Oswald was reluctant, but he did his best not to show it, nodding fiercely with his characteristic plastered on grin. “Of course. How rude of me.” He rose, taking one more glance at the board, as if mentally making his next move, before moving towards the kitchen.

 

The table held three ceramic dishes steamed over with condensation as Barbara grabbed Oswald’s plate, gesturing for him to take a seat. “I hope you like meatloaf, Oswald. I make it with a Worchester sauce. It’s a bit tangy, but Jim seems to like it that way. I also have a side of green beans and a hash brown casserole.”

 

Taking a less than subtle sniff at the air, Oswald beamed gratefully. “It smells exquisite, Barbara. You might consider a red wine, as I think it would complement it well.”

 

Jim leaned over to give Barbara a quick kiss. "It does smell good," he said. "Would you like me to pour the wine?"

 

Barbara was pleased to see the two getting along and the prospect of enjoying a little wine with dinner did sound nice. "Thanks, dear; that sounds perfect."

 

It wasn't long before everyone had been served a dish alongside a glass of wine. Compliments were given and graciously accepted as everyone ate.

 

As the meal wore down to the last scraps of food, Oswald asked Barbara if she was interested in a game of poker after dinner, to which she politely declined. Oswald seemed a bit disappointed, but Barbara explained that she had to get up early to go help with an art exhibit set to open that night and so she needed to retire early.

 

Looking to Jim, Oswald stated, "Well, I gather that means it's movie night. Since I am not overly familiar with what's out, I'll leave the courtesy to you."

 

Jim moved to start on clean-up, collecting the plates, cutlery and glasses and beginning to wash them as he spoke to Oswald. "We can finish that game of checkers and then we can look at the movies we have available. I'll let you choose which one you like the look of best."

 

Oswald was looking forward to beating Jim at their previously halted checkers match and joked, while downing the last of his cup’s wine contents, “You’re in quite the hurry to lose, I see.”

 

Barbara let out a soft giggle. “Aren’t ‘we’ confident, Oswald?”

 

Turning a big grin on Barbara, Oswald countered, “Well, he did beat me once, but I’m quite assured that this time around, the stakes are in my favor.” His smile waned slightly as he looked momentarily at the door, thinking that his words applied to more than just a game of checkers. He and Jim would have almost the whole day together without Barbara tomorrow. He had things that required tending to and his patience for playing house was wearing thin. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy this time together, it was unpredictably calming, but it was also rather mundane, reminding Oswald that he had ambitions in life that rose above ‘movie night.’

 

Excusing himself from the table, he moved over to the movie shelf, studying the titles. There weren’t many to choose from, he noted; he wasn’t familiar with many of the titles as, from what he could tell, Barbara was the main contributor with sappy chick flicks. He smiled at the animated Disney movies and lingered momentarily on the movie, The Princess Bride, which he had actually seen a long time ago and had enjoyed thoroughly, although he was askance to admit that fact. He ended up settling on, The Shawshank Redemption, moreover because he’d heard, on several counts that people had liked the movie; and its synopsis appealed to him most from the selection available. Pulling the movie from the shelf, Oswald turned to see Jim had already seated himself back in place to continue their game. Oswald held the movie up, solidifying his choice, and shuffled over to his seat, making his already premeditated move to king his piece. “Hope you like this one.” Oswald set the movie gently on the coffee table, looking up to see Jim’s expression on his choice.

 

Jim didn't make his move straight away, instead glancing over at the movie Oswald had chosen. "That's a good choice," he commented. "We can put it on after we finish the game. Maybe make some popcorn to go with it." He made his own move.

 

Oswald seemed pleased with the fact Jim liked his choice. “I’ve been told as much, but it’s good to know you approve.”

 

The game concluded with Jim as the victor, much to Oswald’s annoyance, and he was grumpy over the end result, having been so assured he would win this time.

 

The trio settled down to lounge on the couch and watch the movie. Oswald was quite enraptured by the tale, having understood what so many others had seen in the film by the time it concluded. Barbara had fallen asleep on Jim’s shoulder; stretching languidly upon noting the credits rolling and rising slowly, she yawned a soft good night, before heading to bed, leaving the two men alone in the dimly lit living room.

 

“That was a pretty interesting film… the spoon bit… spending twenty years to finally escape seems like a horrid waste, though,” Oswald reflected, thinking he would have found a better way to escape that hadn’t taken a life time to achieve.

 

Jim nodded in agreement. "I'm sure there are plenty of people who would have found a less time-consuming way to escape," he commented mildly. "Did you enjoy the movie apart from that, though?" He watched Oswald, but more from curiosity, wanting to see what the other man thought and giving him his full attention.

 

Oswald was smitten with the level of attention he had been receiving from both Jim and Barbara and readily carried on with his opinion on the movie. The two went back and forth about what the movie meant to them, which Oswald found quite engaging.

 

It was easy to lose track of time and Jim was surprised to realise that it was getting on towards midnight by the time he finally looked at the clock. "It looks like it might be time to turn in," he said. "Is there anything you'd like to do tomorrow?"

 

Oswald contemplated what to say as the first thoughts that came to mind involved doubling back to his mother’s to get the money he had stashed there. Money gave mobility; and in his current predicament, he had very little. With how good of a time he’d been having today, Oswald felt slightly guilty for wanting to ditch Jim now. Why couldn’t the man just be his friend without trying to control how he led his life? He could make them both made men in this city, but Oswald knew that wasn’t what Jim wanted or would accept in any fashion. Jim’s stubbornness made it difficult in this way for both of them to get along smoothly. No, Oswald would have to get free of Jim and lay low until he could talk some sense into him.

 

Realizing he had been thinking too long on the subject, Oswald let out a nervous titter. “Well, uh, we could surprise Barbara and take her out to lunch? I know a nice Mediterranean restaurant in the art district that I can get a substantial discount from.” Oswald had collected payments from the restaurant on Mooney’s behalf long ago, but the owner was still quite fearful of his reputation and, as such, always had plenty of ‘on the house’ additives to gift him, which he often times shared with his mother when he had brought her here. “Maybe we can take Barbara by to meet my mother after she’s finished setting up her exhibit… and if Barbara isn’t too tired and doesn’t mind, perhaps we can also take my mother to see it. I know she would enjoy such a show immensely.”

 

Jim nodded. "Those all sound like good ideas." He wasn't expecting Oswald to willingly 'lay down' and accept the new restrictions Jim was putting on him and he was already mentally preparing himself to have to respond to what he expected would be several challenges even over the course of one day. "We could always go and get breakfast in the morning, too," he commented. "Or perhaps stay in and play a game or two."

 

Being late as it was, Oswald relished the idea of sleeping in. “Maybe breakfast here with a little more relaxing would be nice. If it wouldn’t be rude, I have a book I’ve been reading that I’d enjoy catching up on a bit in the morning. Sorry. I’m not used to spending my mornings with others and have grown rather accustomed to having a little quiet time.” This was, of course, a half truth. Oswald did enjoy a bit of time in the mornings to himself, usually soaking in the tub and thinking over the day’s events to come, but if he was to be honest, Jim and Barbara had kept him so occupied during the course of the day that he hadn’t been able to really formulate a good line of defense to follow in order to connect ideas to make his next moves regarding Maroni, Falcone and avoiding Jim in the process.

 

Jim began tidying up after them, even as he replied to Oswald. "If you want to read before or after breakfast, that's fine. We can always eat together and then I can take care of some work while you relax, before we go and meet Barbara."

 

Oswald was pleased that Jim seemed more than amiable towards his suggested plans for the next day. Rising with a stretch, Oswald gave Jim a small smile. “I gather I’ll see you in the morning for breakfast, then; and you can ask Barbara around when she thinks she’ll be wrapping up, so we can meet up with her.” Oswald turned to shuffle in the direction of the bedroom, giving Jim one last look. “It has been a pleasure being in your company tonight; rest well, detective.”

 

"Good night," Jim replied, giving Oswald a smile. Finishing tidying up, he walked through to the main bedroom to climb into bed next to Barbara.


	6. Windfall

The next morning found Oswald feeling considerably brighter as he enjoyed the comforts of lounging in the cozy sheets and down comforter the queen-sized bed sported. Barbara certainly had good tastes; expensive tastes, he had noted, looking around at the product brands she used in the time he’d been staying at the flat.

 

His mother had practically scraped by; still had up, until recently when Oswald had started working for and moving up in the mob and slowly began treating her to small trinkets here and there through the past year so as not to rouse her suspicions to what he was really doing. He knew the clutches of poverty well and from this, Oswald had learned to manage his money meticulously, as he had deigned long ago to rise above that given station in life. He made a point, though, to invest in finer things such as well tailored suits and other amenities as he could afford them to bolster his feelings of success in life. He prided himself that he knew well what to splurge on and what to save for.

 

These thoughts turned his mind to the day at hand and how he would use it to gain some ground over time lost. Maroni would require quite a bit of smoothing over, he was sure, and he really didn’t have anywhere to hide out after he made things right with the Don. He considered taking the money he had holed away at his mother’s and getting a hotel room, but at the moment, he didn’t have a fake ID; and Jim, being a detective, would surely trace any such trails directly back to him. No, that wasn’t going to work.

 

He supposed he could rent out an apartment, but the idea of hiding out in an empty apartment was very unflattering. He hated to admit it, but he didn’t relish the idea of living alone and preferred living with his mother for this reason. Of course, he told himself it was for her benefit, so that she wasn’t all alone. He worried for her, of course, but he was also selfish in the fact that he wanted her company, her well cooked meals and her tendency to want to please him by waiting on him hand and foot.

 

The more he thought on the matter, an idea sprang to mind. He knew what he needed to do. This whole mess would be cleared up by tomorrow, he assured himself, as he finally climbed out of bed.

 

Oswald was showered and had arrived at the kitchen to be overcome with the delicious smells of a variety of foods. It seemed Jim was a bit of a cook himself; on the table, there were two plates- each had a stack of two pancakes, a few strips of bacon on them and Jim was currently working on the eggs. Oswald blinked. “Wow. This looks delicious, Jim! You’ve really outdone yourself this morning.”

 

Jim gave Oswald a smile as he finished up frying the eggs and placed half on each plate. "Despite what you might think from Barbara cooking most of the time since you've been here, I do cook." But he knew that Barbara enjoyed cooking, so when she wanted to, he didn't try to stop her.

 

Waving Oswald over to have a seat, Jim asked, "How did you sleep?"

 

Oswald smiled brightly as he slid into the gestured seat. “I feel quite rested, thank you.” Looking at the clock and seeing it was almost ten, he added, “I appreciate you letting me sleep in; it was a welcome reprieve.”

 

"Well, there wasn't anywhere either of us needed to be this morning. And we did have another late night." Jim put the pans in the sink, ready to wash once they'd finished, and moved over to join Oswald at the table.

 

Oswald nodded at the logic. "We did, didn't we? I've always kind of been a night owl. What time do you have to go to work tomorrow?" He posed the question innocently, so as to make it seem related to the hour of sleeping in, but Oswald really just wanted to know the kind of time table he had to work with to bypass the man easily.

 

"I'll go in quite early," Jim answered. "There'll be plenty of food for you to help yourself to, since I'm sure you won't want to get up as early." He began eating.

 

Oswald countered, “Well, I thought I might make breakfast for you and Barbara, since you’ve been so kind to cook for me the past two days. I may not be the best cook, but I also may surprise you with a flavorful dish.” He actually did like to cook on occasion for his mother, to give her a break, and she always appreciated his efforts; although he was never really sure whether she was being honest by the way she would rave about how delicious it was.

 

Getting Barbara up may also get her moving a little earlier, as he was going to need her out of the house as well before he would dare to disappear for any period of time in fear that she may call Jim to let him know Oswald was missing. She had to be preoccupied; and even though he hadn’t asked her if she planned to go to the art gallery on Monday or not, she had mentioned there was supposed to be a new shipment coming in in the morning with a few new pieces she’d been excited to see. From her previous enthusiasm, he didn’t have to ask if she wanted to be there when it arrived, assuming she likely would wish to.

 

Jim nodded. "All right," he said. "That's a nice offer. We'd both appreciate it." Although he was sure Oswald was perfectly capable of contaminating any dish he made, Jim felt it was important to trust Oswald in the same way he expected the other man to trust him.

 

Oswald beamed. “Excellent! I’ll pick up a few items after we have lunch to make some of my mother’s famous strawberry shortcake French toast. It’s absolutely to die for, take it from me.” He was pleased that he could show some form of appreciation to the couple, especially since he was feeling guilty for what he was about to do; but he had to establish some boundaries in their relationship and not being told how to live or getting a spanking for not adhering to Jim’s unjust laws was one of them.

 

"That sounds good," Jim replied with a smile. It was hard not to respond to Oswald's enthusiasm the same way he'd respond to a child who was eager to please. He did know he had to expect the other man to push against the boundaries... but he found himself believing even more in that potential for goodness he was sure existed inside Oswald.

 

Oswald was feeling rather chipper as they ate and shared small talk about Gotham and their plans to take Barbara to lunch. Jim had discussed Oswald taking his mother to Barbara’s event opening before she’d left that morning and she had been delighted to hear Oswald had wanted to attend, as well as share the experience with his mother.

 

Jim had been careful not to ruin the surprise lunch date by casually asking when she’d be finished up. As projected, she only expected the set up to take a few hours and promised to give him a ring once she was finished. Oswald and Jim worked out to be in the vicinity of the art gallery, leisurely browsing the shops, until she’d called.

 

One of the places the two stopped was an antique store, as Oswald was always fascinated by classic relics, pointing at a paperweight pendulum made in the 18th century. “I’ve always been a fan of simple vestiges of the past that somehow still remain well enough intact to serve their purpose.”

 

Jim nodded, following the direction Oswald was pointing. "Do you have a collection at all? Or do you just prefer to admire them from afar?" He glanced at the price tag, wondering if it would be appropriate to purchase the paperweight pendulum for the other man as a gesture of goodwill.

 

Oswald's face registered surprise when he saw Jim looking the item over with obvious intent to buy and once more, he was filled with shame at the thought of betraying the man's trust in the near future. He shook his head. "It's a bit too pricey to collect, but they are very nice to admire."

 

Jim acknowledged Oswald's reply, but he'd already made the decision to purchase it for the other man, who he realised he already considered a friend. It was within his budget to buy, so he picked it up to take it to the counter.

 

Stuttering, Oswald waved his hands in a gesture that denoted a bashful reluctance. "Oh, ah no, that's quite alright. You really don't have to." Oswald did secretly want the bauble, but the thought of taking the gift from Jim as an obvious show of friendship made that guilty feeling surge even more and Oswald had to avert his gaze, a smile waning on his flushed face.

 

"I'm not purchasing this for you so that you'll owe me anything," Jim said. "It's a gift." He walked over to the counter so that he could buy it.

 

Oswald didn’t argue any further as Jim approached the counter, only murmuring a soft, “Thank you,” when Jim handed him the pendulum, dipping his head shyly. Oswald was appreciative, but he didn’t feel he really deserved this gift. This, of course, didn’t stop him from accepting it with bright, shining eyes as he held the object fondly, looking it over a long moment before his eyes traveled back up to Jim, reflecting a radiating warmth. “I won’t forget that you bestowed such kindness on me for no other reason than to be a good friend.” Oswald said this two fold, as genuine gratitude for the act and a premeditated apology.

 

"You've become a part of my life now," Jim said, entirely truthfully, if a little awkward because he wasn't all that sure how to respond. Instead of trying to talk and potentially saying the wrong thing, he reached out to place his hand on Oswald's shoulder, squeezing gently in a show of friendship. "Is there anywhere else you'd like to visit?"

 

Oswald shook his head. “Nowhere in particular.” Smiling and feeling doubtful now about his plans, not out of fear but out of hesitancy to ruin whatever seemed to be developing between the two, Oswald momentarily wondered if he should just wait a little longer to set his strategy in motion. No, there was no going back at this juncture, not without deciding with all certainty to follow down the path Jim wanted Oswald to stick to; time was his enemy in that regard. He wasn’t ready to give up on the vast opportunity he knew would be afforded him if he just stuck to his original design. Given enough time, Oswald told himself he could get Jim to see he had more to offer him on the inside; together, they could take down Maroni, Fish and Falcone, leaving Penguin as the sole heir to the underground throne. This, of course, was an indulgent fantasy, Oswald knew, but he was a planner and he assumed, by the time they had accomplished such feats, the two’s relationship would have become more cemented through actions to where he could have what he wanted and still keep the other man’s friendship intact.

 

The two spent the next hour before Barbara called wandering around the shops to finally just sitting quietly on the park bench across from the gallery, sharing small talk and watching the pigeons flutter about in search of food.

 

Barbara was delighted to hear they were waiting for her and the trio made their way down the road towards Levant’s Mediterranean restaurant. The owner recognized Oswald immediately as he personally grabbed a stack of menus, addressing the group nervously. “Uh, Mr. Cobblepot! So good to see you again! Please, let me show you to a seat." There were two other groups still awaiting seats, Barbara noted, as they were led to the back of the restaurant to a corner booth that could have easily sat eight.

 

Oswald was quite pleased with the deference, of course, holding his head high with a broad grin plastered on his face. “Why, thank you, Levant, this is perfect.”

 

Levant stammered, “Of course, sir! Nothing but the finest for you and your friends.”

 

Jim couldn't help but notice the owner's attitude towards Oswald and while it didn't surprise him, it was a source of concern. At the same time, he chose not to draw attention to it right now, instead glancing at Barbara to make sure she was happy with the situation.

 

Barbara was visibly uncomfortable, noting Jim’s concern as well, but she sat, moving into the booth to give Jim room to also sit, watching him to see how he reacted.

 

For his part, Oswald practically glowed as he slid into his side of the booth, readily sweeping up a menu. “You two are going to love the food here! Levant, my good man, these are two of my very best friends, please start off with a glass of your finest wine.”

 

Levant did not wait, rushing off to grab the wine, snapping his fingers for one of the waiters and telling them to bring glasses of ice water and fresh bread, so that Oswald’s guests were not left waiting.

 

Jim didn't speak until after the waiters had left, watching Oswald almost casually. "The owner seems... eager to please," he commented. He was sure he knew why that was... and was almost as sure that Oswald enjoyed having that kind of hold over someone.

 

Oswald’s smile faltered, gathering the subtle insinuations Jim was making; and perhaps because he had assumed correctly, it served to sour Oswald’s mood slightly as he clipped, “Levant is an old associate of Fish, it’s true, but I assure you that I’m not forcing the man to do anything he doesn’t see fit to do on his own accord.”

 

Why did Jim have to spoil this? Oswald wanted to give the two a nice outing where they could enjoy lunch through the clout he’d worked so hard to attain in this town. He didn’t have many perks he could use anymore from his former ties to Fish, but this was one he knew there would be no questions asked, as Fish rarely ventured to this part of town and he was the last to come for a payoff, so Levant was sure not to question his appearance.

 

Barbara cleared her throat, taking a small sip of her water as she looked about the restaurant. The small place was definitely of the upper tier variety; she could tell by looking at the ambience and the prices on the menu. “Oswald, this place is really expensive. Are…”

 

Before she could say more, Oswald cut her off, shaking his head. “Not to worry; I’ve got this bill. Really, it’s my treat; you two just please, enjoy.” He hoped that would be the end of scrutiny to his chosen excursion. As he said this, a waiter came forward, popping a bottle of wine, and poured a glass for each, setting the bottle in a pail of ice in the middle of the table, before departing as quickly as he had come.

 

Jim wanted to push Oswald for further details, but he was also aware of the fact that the other man was trying to do something nice. He might not particularly like the reason why Oswald was able to get them here, but he did appreciate the sentiment behind it.

 

Working with Oswald to bring out the good in him would take more than just a couple of days.

 

For now, Jim merely contented himself with one comment. "I do appreciate the thought behind this, Oswald."

 

Brightening considerably, Oswald raised his glass. “To good friends.” They clinked glasses as the waiter came back to take their orders. Oswald encouraged the two to order whatever they desired, but Barbara, still feeling it to be too much, picked one of the lower priced items on the menu, where Jim chose something in between. Oswald, of course, knowing that he wasn’t going to really be paying for the meal, ordered the lobster and steak combo, much to the owner’s dismay; not that the man said anything, other than to grimace from afar as he moved about nervously, being sure that the trio’s glasses never went empty and that their food was served promptly and correctly.

 

The meal went well, as Barbara told the two how everything at the gallery came together and the exhibit was set to open on schedule without any hiccups. She was looking forward to the show and seeing what the two men and Oswald’s mother thought of it.

 

Oswald was enjoying the meal immensely as even Jim had seemed to loosen up since their arrival and it wasn’t until the end of the meal that Oswald got another surprise when the owner brought out a to-go bag, placing it at Oswald’s side, nodding to the man. “I hope you enjoyed your lunch; you should find everything to be in order, sir.” Levant didn’t linger, quickly giving the group a slight bow and dashing back in to the kitchen.

 

None of the three had asked for a to-go box and as Oswald peered into the bag, he noted an empty to–go container on top, as well as a small, well wrapped paper bag underneath it, which, Oswald understood immediately, was Fish’s payoff for the month. Of course it was; he had been out of action right at about a month, so it made sense that Levant must have assumed he’d come to pick up the payoff a couple days later than normal, hence why he seemed so nervous, since Fish hadn’t already gotten around to redistributing his previous routes.

 

Oswald had to hold back a chortle of glee as he gingerly pulled out the to-go box and quickly placed the remainder of his meal in it, even though he had planned to finish it. He didn’t want to give Jim any reason to question the action. Oswald, however, couldn’t hide the ear to ear grin he now wore. “My, my, this meal has really hit the spot! Are you two about ready to go? It’s getting late and I want to make sure to get ahold of mother, so I can take her to get a nice dress for Barbara’s event.”

 

Jim frowned, noticing that none of them had asked for a to-go box. Considering how nervous the owner had been when seeing Oswald, he wouldn't be surprised if Oswald had received something... extra. Without any proof about it, though, he didn't say anything... deciding to figure out how to deal with it later.

 

Once again, he had to remind himself that this was going to be a long road.

 

Jim stood up, automatically putting some money down to cover at least part of the meal... because even if it was 'taken care of', he was certain the owner was going to have a loss. He then nodded to Oswald. "We can leave now."

 

Oswald seemed disappointed that Jim felt the need to drop money on the table and only remarked sullenly, “That’s quite a generous tip, but the service was exemplar.” He knew why he’d left the money, but he refused to acknowledge it, instead opting to call it a tip. Either way, Oswald wanted to put distance from the restaurant, knowing that collecting this payment would likely create friction for Levant and certainly make Fish more than aware that he was still a player on the board, which she would be none too pleased to discover.

 

Barbara seemed unsure as to what was going on, but the tension was obvious; and she remained quiet as she slid out of the booth, following Jim towards the front of the building.

 

Oswald, for his part, wrapped his package tightly to him, looking around once more to make sure he was still safe and hurriedly made his way out of the restaurant. He was surer than ever he needed to act sooner than later regarding Maroni. It would seem he was going to need friends in high places before long.

 

Jim didn't comment on the money he'd left, or on Oswald's response to him having left the money. Instead, as they moved outside, he changed the subject to an entirely different matter, asking Oswald, "Did you want to use my phone to call your mother?" Although he was sure neither of them owned a cell phone, he wasn't as sure that there hadn't been a phone somewhere in the apartment.

 

Oswald's mother had an old fashioned, considered by today's standards, land line. "Thanks. I'll give her a call now to let her know I'm on my way." The change of topic seemed to please Oswald, thinking once more of taking his mother out to buy her something nice for the art show. He added as Jim handed him the phone, "She'll likely take a few hours, so you can just drop me off and we can meet you at the event."

 

Oswald hoped that the prospect of clothes shopping for hours would be a deterrent to Jim wanting to come along. If Jim agreed to leave him to his own devices, it would give Oswald plenty of time to set other plans in motion.

 

"I can come with you," Jim answered. He looked at Barbara, not wanting to make her come along with him, since he was almost certain that, left to his own devices, Oswald would do something he shouldn't. "Unless you'd prefer me to stay with you... or if you'd like to come as well," he said, aware they didn't have that much time to themselves.

 

Barbara smiled at the prospect of going shopping. "I wouldn't mind getting a new dress."

 

For his part, Oswald stammered, "Great... we'll be one big happy family..." A small, nervous laugh escaped his lips as he groaned inwardly. Of course Jim and Barbara wanted to come along.

 

Oswald's mother was, of course, thrilled to hear the news. Oswald frowned, thinking it was going to be so much more difficult to get any alone time now; and, grasping at straws, added once he hung up the phone, "Mother may need to eat before we go; if you want to run Barbara's car home first, you could drop me off while you to do so, since we won't need two cars, will we?"

 

"I'm sure we could join you and your mother," Jim said mildly. He wasn't sure if Oswald was being evasive on purpose... but it wouldn't surprise him if that was what the other man was doing. And he didn't think letting Oswald out of his sight was such a good idea right now, especially given the interactions he'd observed with the owner of the restaurant they'd just visited.

 

Barbara thought on the matter briefly, stating, “You know, I can just leave my car here and take it home when we leave the event tonight, since we’ll be right back here anyway.” She smiled, thinking that she’d solved the problem in the best fashion as they moved to all load into Jim’s car.

 

This wasn’t going anywhere, Oswald realized quickly, as he shrugged, another nervous laugh escaping in his frustration as he said through gritted teeth, “I’m sure she’ll love the company…”

 

Following begrudgingly behind the couple, Oswald frowned as they made their way back to the car, deciding that he would have to bide his time once more.

 

Gertrude was delighted when the three arrived, opening her door to them in a dramatic show of her obvious pleasure as she welcomed them in. Oswald motioned to the couple. “You’ve already met detective Gordon, mother; the young lady is Barbara. They felt like coming to join us to get you that dress I spoke of.”

 

Mrs. Cobblepot slapped her hands together, positively beaming. “Oh, how nice! We will have a marvelous time with your new friends, Oswald!”

 

Oswald did want to get to the package under the food he was currently carrying and he wanted to do so discreetly, so he added hurriedly, “You two go on ahead and take a seat; I’m going to go heat up these leftovers for mother to enjoy.” That said, Oswald darted into the kitchen with the bag clutched tightly to his side.

 

If Jim wasn't sure that Oswald was hiding something before, he certainly was now, since it was quite clear that Oswald wanted to get something out of the bag he was carrying... something that wasn't food.

 

"I'll go and see if he needs help." Jim headed through to the kitchen.

 

No sooner had Oswald pulled the food out, putting it to the side, and dug his hand into the bag to pull out the hidden bag containing the money at the bottom did he hear the door creaking open behind him. Panic thrilled down his spine at the thought of being caught red handed like this and having to explain away the money. He quickly shoved the bag down his pants and picked up the to-go box to fumble it into the microwave next to him. He then turned his head towards Jim with a wide grin. “Oh, Jim? Can I get you anything?”

 

"I thought I'd come and see if you needed a hand," Jim replied. He might not have seen exactly what Oswald had done, but he'd come into the kitchen fast enough to see that Oswald was hiding something. "What do you have there?"

 

Oswald held up his hands innocently as he laughed nervously. "Oh, nothing now, I was just sticking leftovers in the microwave."

 

"I saw you hide something, Oswald." Jim didn't raise his voice, but there was a note in his tone that suggested he was going to push this.

 

Oswald looked surprised at the accusation, smiling guiltily. “Hide something? You must be mistaken… I …I merely was startled by your arrival. I wasn’t expecting anyone coming up behind me like that, is all.” He opened the cabinet above his head, pulling down a plate with a jittery hand as he attempted to hide his growing apprehension that Jim would continue to pry.

 

"Oswald... I know you're an intelligent man," Jim said. "And I'm sure you know the same about me. I know you hid something. I know you were given something in the restaurant, even if I don't know what it was."

 

“I… I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Oswald sputtered nervously, as he moved to put distance between the two. “You are clearly seeing things because you are suspicious. Levant knows I often take my food to go and so he was merely preempting my normal request for a to-go container.” Oswald made ready to bolt if Jim made any sudden action, as he had no intention of giving up his newfound fortune.

 

"If I am suspicious, it's with good reason. I know you took something from him. If he's making you a payment, you know it's going to end up causing trouble," Jim pointed out. "Unless you're planning to pass the payment on to whoever it was supposed to go to, of course."

 

“Payment? For what? We’ve been having such a nice time together, but all these accusations are ruining the atmosphere. Hypothetically, if I did receive such a payment, returning it would be absurd; not to mention deadly.” The microwave dinged and Oswald eyed Jim carefully, before moving towards the microwave to pull the food out.

 

"Hypothetically, if you received a payment, you could pass it on anonymously to whoever it was supposed to go to," Jim replied evenly. "I'm not suggesting you put yourself in danger. That's the last thing I would suggest."

 

Oswald sighed as he grabbed utensils from a drawer and moved the food from the container over to the plate he’d brought down from the cabinet. “If I had this money, giving it back wouldn’t put me in any less danger and would, in fact, likely put me in more danger for just having had it in the first place. There’d be no way to give it back anonymously, because Levant knows me and would undoubtedly report who he had last saw had the money. But this is a lot of hypothetical and mother’s food is going to get cold. Would you mind taking it to her while I poor her a glass of ice water?” Oswald held the plate across the table for Jim to take; now a broad smile grew across his face, knowing that the delivery of the food would take Jim more than long enough for Oswald to remove and get rid of the incriminating evidence before Jim returned.

 

"I'm sure I can wait until you've poured out a glass of ice water," Jim replied. "But just to say... if you have this money and don't give it back? Levant would still report who he gave the money to. You won't be safe if you keep the money."

 

Oswald's lip twitched as he laid the plate down and responded, "You know, maybe you're right; but enough talk on imaginary scenarios. I was just thinking that taking the women to 5th and Canal might be a good place to get them new dresses. What do you think?" As he spoke, Oswald poured a glass of water for his mother and, grabbing the plate, headed towards the living room.

 

"That sounds like a good idea." Jim followed Oswald through to the living room, deciding to drop the subject for now... but that he would keep a careful eye on the other man, since he knew the scenario was far from imaginary.

 

Seemingly happy that Jim was willing to move past the conversation, the two exited into the living room, to hear Gertrude gushing on about her son to Barbara, showing her baby pictures, of all things, to which Barbara seemed quite amused and Oswald a bit mortified. “Mother Please! I don’t think Barbara is interested in looking at some archaic pictures!”

 

Barbara giggled at Oswald’s obvious embarrassment. “It’s alright, Oswald; you were a really adorable baby.”

 

Oswald sighed, bringing the food hurriedly over to the table and ushering his mother to come eat. “Come now, mother, there’s so much we have to do today, let’s not keep Barbara and Jim waiting.”

 

“Not to worry, my boy.” Gertrude sashayed to the table, giving Oswald a loving pat on the arm as he pulled out her chair for her. “Such a good boy to his mother! This looks delicious!”

 

She tittered as she sat, beaming up at Oswald while he smiled back at her. “Enjoy your lunch, Mother.”

 

Oswald gave her a kiss on top of her head before moving back to where Barbara was still holding the album, perusing its contents. “Perhaps I can interest you in something less trivial.” Oswald snorted as he reached onto the bookshelf to grab a book of art history that he was quite sure would spark interest in Barbara.

 

Barbara smiled at his shyness, taking the book and setting the album aside on the coffee table, seeing Oswald visibly relax.

 

Jim sat down next to Barbara, drawing the small group into conversation that seemed to imply that he'd forgotten about the money Oswald had been given... though he was still aware of its presence and how much danger Oswald would be in simply by holding onto it.


	7. Putting Plans in Motion

It wasn't long after that the four ventured out to the suggested dress shop; and three excruciating hours later, the two women had tried on a multitude of outfits, finally deciding what to buy. In their time out, Oswald had used a trip to the restroom as a way to move the cash from the bag in his pants to his inside suit pocket. Counting it showed to be ten grand and this of course made Oswald quite happy. There was a lot a man could do with ten grand. The two men used the time between when the ladies were showing off their wears to make small talk about nothing in particular, choosing to avoid any topics that might cause friction.

 

After shopping, they dropped Gertrude off so they could run by the store for Oswald's breakfast supplies, promising to pick her up at 8pm. That gave two hours for a quick bite to eat and time to get ready. Gertrude had pressed a suit for Oswald before they had arrived, so all that was left for Oswald was to get ready once they'd arrived back at the flat.

 

Jim let Barbara go and get dressed after the three of them had eaten and then he turned to Oswald with a more serious look on his face. "We're not talking about hypothetical situations now, Oswald. I have a fairly good idea that you were paid off in that restaurant. I also have a good idea of what will happen if your possession of the money comes to the attention of the wrong people. And whether you keep it or not, we both know that will happen."

 

Oswald frowned in obvious annoyance. “This again? I thought we had moved past this conversation.” Moving across the living room to sit on the couch, he sighed, sensing the man was never going to let the matter drop. “As you stated, if I did happen to collect a payment from Levant, it wouldn’t matter if I returned it or not. It’d be much too late to make a difference and you and I both know this, so what’s the point of deliberating any further on the subject?”

 

"The point is that I don't think you thought through taking the money," Jim said, taking a seat next to Oswald on the couch. "Tell me realistically... what's likely to happen once the taken money comes to light?"

 

Becoming instantly on guard from previous ‘talks’ on this very couch, Oswald scooted over to the edge of the cushion, turning his body to face Jim fully and attentively. He sat rigidly now, his hands pulled in to his lap and fiddling nervously. “Well… nothing that wouldn’t have happened either way, honestly. I mean, what could be done, really?” He let out a nervous titter. “But to answer your question, I suppose the ‘would be' owners might be upset that they hadn’t gotten the money and wish to obtain it.” Why was he so nervous? Oswald hated this feeling, as a lump wedged in his throat and his heart began to race, as an overwhelming dread started to surface from the way Jim was scrutinizing him.

 

Jim didn't actually reach for Oswald, since he still hadn't decided what the appropriate response to this was. "It's going to put you in danger... more danger," he corrected. "In case it hasn't been obvious, I don't want anything to happen to you."

 

Jim addressing that he didn't want anything to happen to him caused Oswald to drop his gaze to his hands as he nodded. "I know you don't. I don't mean to cause you and Barbara any distress from my past associations. We can dine elsewhere from now on." Oswald was careful not to admit he actually had received anything from Levant, since giving it back or actually admitting he had the money was not on his agenda.

 

Jim shook his head and reached out to place a hand on Oswald's shoulder. "Where we dine isn't the problem, Oswald. The problem is that you don't seem to accept the danger you've now put yourself in."

 

Jim's hand being placed on his shoulder caused Oswald to jump nervously and, seeing that Jim wasn't going to let it go, Oswald decided a different tactic was in order. It would be a mistake to have Jim discover the money, so Oswald decided to nod his head reluctantly, reaching into his inside suit pocket to pull out the money. "You're right, Jim. I need to return this money to Levant. I will go there tomorrow, after they open." Of course, Oswald had no real intentions of returning the money, but admitting to having it and offering to return it, he hoped, would be good enough for Jim.

 

"I think I should go with you." Even though Jim suspected that, left to his own devices, Oswald wouldn't actually return the money, that wasn't the main reason he was insisting on going along. He also wanted to make sure nothing happened to Oswald. Knowing how dangerous people like Fish and Maroni could be, he didn't want to risk Oswald getting into trouble without someone being there to watch his back.

 

Oswald smiled nervously at Jim, the hair on the back of his neck prickling at the thought of Jim actually making him return the money in front of him. He blushed slightly at the embarrassment it would cause to have to actually go through with the humiliating task. “No need! I can handle it. Besides, I can just catch a ride into town with Barbara in the morning, since the gallery is right around the corner. I don’t want you missing any work on my account!” As he said this, Oswald stuffed the money back into the inside pocket of his jacket. He certainly didn’t want Jim coming along and he hoped that, if he agreed to go with Barbara, Jim would relax enough to feel he could manage the task on his own without supervision.

 

Jim had no intention of drawing Barbara into this situation, whether by putting it on her to be responsible for making sure Oswald did return the money, or by forcing her to be there for Oswald's protection. "I'm not negotiating with you, Oswald," he said, his voice firm and serious. "I will be going with you. Because if I'm there, I can watch your back in a way I know Barbara wouldn't be able to."

 

Oswald frowned momentarily as his aggravation grew, but he decided it would be best to just agree with Jim for now and figure out a way to circumvent the situation later. He smiled tightly, giving Jim a stiff nod. "Certainly, Jim; whatever you say." He glanced at the clock. "Well, since we're finished here, I'd better get a shower and change... it's getting late." Oswald rose to leave, his frown returning as he turned away from Jim; there was no way he was going through with this!

 

"We'll continue our conversation later." And now that Jim thought about it, he realised that they were going to have to have a conversation about expectations and consequences. Oswald needed to know what to expect now that he was living here.

 

Swiping his pressed suit off the back of the recliner, Oswald hurriedly hobbled down the hallway,his mind was now cluttered with moving his plans forward;and he had a good idea how to go about it.

 

It wasn’t long before everyone had showered and readied themselves in formal wear. Oswald was sure to lavish Barbara with compliments and even gave a few to Jim. The three headed out to pick up Gertrude, who seemed more than thrilled as Oswald opened her door for her and helped her inside.

 

The car ride was pleasant enough, as Barbara talked a little about the event and the newest pieces the program would be showcasing. The first hour they were there, all four attended together and Barbara showed them the line of new art on display while they sipped on complimentary champagne offered for the presentation.

 

Oswald had led his mother by the arm and the older woman seemed as enthralled as he had been on his first visit. Turning to Barbara and Jim, he asked casually, “Barbara, do you mind if I take my mother down to see the wing with your Picasso and Monet?”

 

Gertrude gasped, her smile broadening. “Oh, I love Monet!”

 

Barbara smiled at her obvious delight, looking to Jim. “I don’t see why not.” Barbara was looking forward to a little bit of alone time with Jim, since their weekend had been rather busy comparatively to most.

 

Jim nodded his agreement. Although he suspected that Oswald had his own motives for wanting to be alone with his mother, he couldn't prove anything... and if he wanted the other man to trust him, he needed to extend that trust in return. He smiled at Barbara, then glanced at Oswald. "I think that's a good idea." He wrapped his arm around Barbara, not wanting her to feel left out or neglected.

 

Barbara leaned into Jim’s embrace, giving his arm a firm squeeze, before glancing to Gertrude and adding, “Oswald and I spent quite a while perusing what the gallery has to offer, so I’m sure he should be able to find his way around well enough. If you have trouble finding any particular artists, near the front entrance there is a catalog listing for the artists we have in the gallery and what wing to find them in.”

 

Nodding with a wide smile, Oswald answered, “Yes, we had quite the time, didn’t we? Not to worry, I think I can find my way around well enough.”

 

Gertrude swiped another drink off of a passing waiter’s tray. “Oh, I am having such a lovely time, Barbara! Thank you so much for showing my boy and I the cultures at your lovely establishment! I’ve always told Oswald how much beauty there is to be seen in the history of painting.”

 

Before Gertrude could continue talking, Oswald patted her arm as he interjected, “Yes, mother, Barbara knows quite well the value of fine art. It is her gallery, after all.” As he said this, he began to lead her off towards the Monet paintings in the far west wing.

 

Watching them go, Barbara gave a soft chuckle as she remarked, “They are too cute, aren’t they? It’s nice to see how much Oswald cares for his mother.”

 

Resisting the urge to try and follow Oswald (or discuss his suspicions  with Barbara), Jim turned to her, giving her his full attention. "She seems very over-protective of him... which, I believe, is why she didn't argue him staying with us for a while." He smiled, wrapping an arm around Barbara's waist and hugging her against his side. "But we shouldn't talk about that. Let's enjoy the gallery." And spending the time together... though Jim didn't feel the need to add that.

 

It was nice to have Jim to herself, and the two enjoyed each other’s company as they continued to walk about the gallery just talking as they often did about the things they were partial to.

As Oswald had promised, he took his mother to the paintings she had wanted to see. Walking about Oswald was sure to place a grimace of mock worry on his face knowing his mother would be sure to notice as she always had.

 

Taking in the sights and sipping on her drink Gertrude had been talking up a storm when she realized her son seemed lost in thought, “What’s the matter my dear boy, you look upset?”

 

Oswald sighed, “It’s nothing mother...” he said this somewhat dramatically knowing his mother would not give up so easily.

 

She stopped putting a hand on his cheek, “Don’t tell me it’s nothing! Your mother knows when something is bothering you; now you tell me.”

 

Nodding his concession Oswald took in a deep breath, “I fear for Jim and Barbara’s safety mother. I know he wants to help me, but he just doesn’t know what he’s up against.”

 

Instantly worried Gertrude’s expression grew distraught, “What do you mean?”

 

Oswald was sure to peer around ensuring the two were alone as he lead his mother further down the hall talking in hushed whispers, “The detective is a good man, but he is a bit naïve. I’ve recently become privy to several unscrupulous individuals working under the guise of the GCPD, and I fear that my association with Jim may end up causing he and Barbara harm if it came to light he was protecting me.”

 

Gertrude clutched her hand to her chest, “Oh no, they are such a nice couple. Have you told him your concerns?”

 

Looking back over his shoulder to make sure Jim was nowhere in sight, Oswald continued, “I think it’s best if I leave their company and keep it between you and I. If Jim knows where I am, I’m putting him at risk. Besides, knowing you are home all alone has me so worried; I was thinking it would be best for all involved if I just stay with you.”

 

Gertrude was obviously troubled, “I don’t know Oswald; do you really think this is best?”

 

Oswald placed an arm around her shoulders giving her a warm squeeze, “Of course mother. If I’m with you than those dirty cops will have no reason to go after Jim or Barbara, and I’ll be careful in my comings and goings to ensure I stay well out of detection.”

 

Gertrude didn’t look fully convinced, but she trusted her son implicitly, “I do not know how you have gotten yourself in such trouble, but if you think this is best than I will support you.”

 

Oswald stopped making sure to have her full attention as he placed a hand lovingly on each shoulder, “Just remember, you can’t let them know that I’m going back to reside with you as Jim will surely think staying with him is in my best interest, but you and I know differently. Can I trust you to keep this our little secret?”

 

Wanting her son to be safe and believing he knew best she nodded, “Yes, yes, of course. Oh Oswald, I am so worried for you!” She wrapped her arms around him drawing him into a hard hug.

 

Oswald frowned to look at her; he could tell she was on the verge of tears as he pulled her away, and he kissed each cheek touching her nose, “It’s going to be okay, mother, you’ll see. Now in order to make this work, you need to wait at least twenty minutes before you venture back to Jim and Barbara. I’ll come home later tonight. Everything is going to be all right I promise.”

 

He gave her his surest smile, and she smiled back at him nodding her head in agreement and patting his arm, “Okay, you go now, and I will see you tonight.”

 

Oswald gave her one last kiss on the cheek before making his way to the side entrance peeking around one last time to ensure he wasn’t being followed before disappearing out the side door.


	8. Monkey Wrench

Gertrude wandered about nervously, feeling quite anxious for Oswald’s wellbeing, and when the twenty minutes had passed, she went back to find Jim and Barbara, no longer enjoying the atmosphere of the gallery due to the current situation.

 

Barbara was the first to notice her walking alone and instant worry etched her brow. “Mrs. Cobblepot? Where is Oswald?”

 

Looking askance, she replied, “He has left. He told me that he could not stay with you because he was worried for you.” She didn’t elaborate, but it was obvious she was worried for him.

 

Jim had had a good time with Barbara, walking around the gallery and sharing a drink with her... though he immediately snapped to awareness when Oswald's mother returned without her son in tow.

 

Although not surprised that Oswald had taken off, Jim was disappointed that the other man had done so... particularly because he didn't believe that the other man could keep himself safe. Not for one moment. "What did he say to you?" he asked the woman, very careful not to raise his voice or do anything else that would cause her to worry even more.

 

Gertrude wrung her hands in obvious worry. "He said that he knew there were bad men that you work with that might hurt you both if they found my dear Oswald in your company." Thinking of the couple getting hurt, as well as someone trying to hurt her son, had the poor woman's voice warbling as she wiped a forming tear from her eye.

 

Jim took a deep breath and did his best to sound reassuring as he spoke to the woman. "He might not feel like it, but he's going to be safer with us than he will be on his own. Did he tell you anything about where he was going?"

 

Gertrude hesitated; she wasn't overly comfortable with lying and despite what Oswald said, she did think the man in front of her was more capable than Oswald gave him credit for. Still, she didn't want to put her son's safety at risk, so she lowered her eyes, shaking her head sadly. "Who would want to hurt my Oswald so that he would need police protection?" Gertrude said this more to herself, her anxiety driving more tears to her eyes.

 

Barbara was quick to pull out a tissue, handing it to the woman and looking to Jim, her brow furrowed in sympathy.

 

"I believe Oswald managed to get himself mixed up in bad company," Jim said. "I understand your worry, but he'll be better protected with us than he is on his own. There are a lot of people who are very annoyed with him right now."

 

Gertrude frowned, not seeing Oswald as being anything but charming. “These people do not know my Oswald; how could they? He is a good boy. If what Oswald says is true and there are corrupt policemen working with you, detective, how can you be so sure you can protect my son?” Gertrude turned imploring eyes onto Jim.

 

Barbara interjected, “Mrs. Cobblepot, Jim has already saved your son from death once…”

 

Before she could say more, Gertrude gasped, looking quite mortified. “Death? When the detective brought him home, Oswald was hurt, but he did not tell me these bad men were actually trying to kill him… I thought they were bullying him again.” She shook her head, upset. “He’s always been harassed by heathens, but nothing so bad as this!” Her body language changed as she straightened, looking quite determined now as she spoke. “Tell me the truth, what has Oswald gotten himself into?”

 

"He's become mixed up with some very bad people," Jim said. "It got to the point where he had to leave town for a while to keep himself safe. There are others who are corrupt in the Force. I'm not one of those... and I'm _very_ careful about who I trust." He was now, at least.

 

Gertrude nodded gravely; Oswald had been gone far longer than he’d ever left home for and he’d only been brought home by the detective. She hated the feeling of doubt that was creeping over her; she didn’t want to betray her son’s trust, but she also didn’t want to see him never come home again. Perhaps Oswald wasn’t the best judge of where he should be after all? Jim did seem to be a fine young man, with good morals and a keen sense of wit about him. Finally conceding to her worry, Gertrude stated, “He wanted me to keep a secret from you, that he was going to come back home to me. I will admit, I wanted him home to, but I couldn’t bear the thought of Oswald doing something that may get him killed. He is going to be so upset with me…” More tears fell from her eyes as she began to cry anew.

 

Barbara moved forward to embrace her in a hug of support. “Hey, hey, it’s going to be okay. Jim isn’t going to let anything happen to Oswald, okay?”

 

Gertrude didn’t respond as she continued to cry, letting Barbara comfort her from being so caught up in the guilty feelings of betraying her son's trust.

 

Jim felt a bit uncomfortable, not certain what to do, and was kind of relieved when Barbara stepped forward to comfort the woman. He cleared his throat and spoke. "He'll be safe staying with us. And, of course, I will make sure he's able to come and see you when it's safe for him to do so."

 

Gertrude simply nodded her agreement, deciding Jim seemed to be a man of his word, "Please keep my son safe, detective. Oswald can be so ambitious; I know that getting him to listen to reason can be so hard when he has it in his head that he is right."

 

"I promise he will be safe with us," Jim said reassuringly. He had no doubts that he was going to have to address Oswald running away... but he also knew that nothing he would do to the other man would cause any lasting harm or have him need to go to the hospital.

 

Barbara gave Jim a wry smile. “Well, I guess there’s no sense staying at the show any longer when no one is able to really enjoy it any longer.”

 

***

 

Oswald had jumped into the first taxi he could hail, feeling quite clever to have finally been able to evade Jim’s eagle eye. He planned to visit Maroni tomorrow afternoon to regain face for the previous incident and to realign ties that, as of this point, were tenuous at best, due to flubbing the heist.

 

He frowned, thinking about Friday night’s disastrous outcome and the fact that it had already been two days since he had touched base with Maroni. Oswald was tempted to call him once he’d reached his mother’s home, but it was already pushing 10:30 on a Sunday night; and Sunday was the one day of the week that the mobster tended to keep all things business to a minimum. Salvatore attributed this sabbatical to being raised Catholic and his need at attempting to keep up appearances. Oswald had to snort to himself at the obvious hypocrisy of it all; business could wait until the morning, though.

 

Grinning from ear to ear, Oswald tipped the cabby a generous amount from Levant’s payoff wad of cash and hobbled up the three flights of steps. Reaching on top of the door frame to grab the hidden key he’d stashed there, he unlocked the door, taking in a deep breath and letting it out in a sigh of relief. Home sweet home, he thought, as he replaced the key and closed the door.

 

He ran a nice hot bath, stripping away his suit to hang it neatly on a hangar and crawling into the warm waters, groaning as his muscles began to relax. He would call Jim tomorrow to apologize for the rudeness of leaving so suddenly. He reasoned out in his mind, as he lay back, placing a damp washcloth across his eyes, that due to recent developments between the two, Oswald thought it best if any communication they made to work together would remain over the phone until Oswald felt they had reached a reasonable understanding. A smile still creased his face as he thought on finally having the upper hand again in the two’s relationship.

 

He heard the door to the bathroom creak open behind him and assumed his mother had been dropped off home. Relaxing quite languidly in the hot waters of the tub, Oswald didn’t rise, but stated ruefully, “I do hope I didn’t ruin your evening out too much, mother; I know the detective likely did not take the news well. I promise that I will make it up to you in prompt order.”

 

Jim had taken Barbara back to their apartment before running Gertrude back to her apartment. As soon as they'd gone in the door, it had become clear that Oswald was back there and Jim had suggested he go and talk to the other man.

 

Since he knew how protective Gertrude was of Oswald, Jim planned to take care of things back at his apartment... but that didn't mean he wasn't going to have a few things to say to Oswald before they left.

 

Knowing that catching Oswald off guard would be for the best, Jim chose not to wait for the other man to come out of the bathroom and instead opened the door and entered, closing the door behind him. He raised his eyebrows at Oswald's comment. "You could say I didn't take the news well..."

 

Jumping at the sound of Jim's voice, Oswald launched up to a sitting position, tearing the washcloth from his eyes. He spun around to face Jim, staring slack-jawed and wide-eyed in obvious surprise.

 

He swallowed hard, growing slightly pale as he stuttered, "Jim! I...I can explain! I'm sure this looks bad, but I... I've been doing a lot of thinking, and I don't think our arrangement is working for me... I..."

 

Jim crossed his arms over his chest, not taking his eyes from Oswald's face. "I don't recall telling you that you had a choice in this 'arrangement'. We both know you're in danger. Having to leave Gotham wasn't a game. You could have ended up dead. You still could." A note of frustration crept into Jim's tone... but really, he was worried more than anything else.

 

Oswald looked visibly nervous at the other man's obvious irritation as he stated, "Of course, you're right." His voice became much lower as he looked down, unable to keep eye contact as he muttered cautiously, "But... I think I can take care of myself now and just lay low here." He hated that he felt like he had no confidence now to challenge the other man's decisions concerning him.

 

"Do you think they don't know about your mother?" Jim's tone wasn't threatening, just concerned. "When it's discovered that the money's gone and that you've taken it, this is going to be one of the first places they look. If you stay here, you'll put your mother in more danger. Do you want that? I think you were using your mother to make your escape... but I'm sure you don't want her caught up in this."

 

He hadn't really considered the fact that Fish finding out he'd taken the money might lead them back to his mother. Oswald had never told anyone where he lived, but it wouldn't be too hard to track him down, considering his mother and he shared a last name.

 

Oswald peered up at Jim now, his brow arched in concern; he didn't think Fish would hurt his mother to get back at him before, but now that Jim had brought it to his attention, he honestly couldn't predict what Fish would do, especially when it came to light he was in fact still alive. She would be livid, he knew that much, and where the thought of sticking it to her before amused him, now it made his stomach turn.

 

A chill ran up Oswald's spine as he questioned worryingly, "Do you think my mother is going to be safe here now?"

 

"I think we should look at moving her to a safer place," Jim said honestly. "It won't take much effort on Fish's part to track this apartment down. I haven't told your mother about the danger she might be in... but it would be foolish to assume she's out of danger. This is one of the reasons why I told you to return the money."

 

Oswald looked ashamed to have not considered more thoroughly how taking the money may put his mother in danger. He supposed, as much as he hated to do it, he’d have to get the money back to Fish’s people before they were made aware of the exchange and, more importantly, the fact he was still breathing. “I think I have an idea; I know some people that could be convinced to get the money to Fish as if they’d picked it up for her… I’d just have to grease a few palms… but they could get the money to her where she wouldn’t ask questions and they're not overly loyal to anyone, so I could pay them after they made the drop to keep the transaction smooth…”

 

He hoped Jim would find this a more suitable plan than going back to Levant, who may or may not let on to Fish of his attempt to take her pay-off. He might be able to be convinced through the fact Jim was a cop and it was an equal chance at risk, but the latter would be much more embarrassing; not to mention make him lose a further perk which he could still exploit if need be later.

 

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to go and see those people alone," Jim said outright. "And I still wouldn't be happy about leaving your mother here. No one's targeted her yet to get to you, but the likelihood of that happening is only going to get bigger."

 

Oswald blanched. "I can't have an officer of the law accompany me when I go to meet with these people; they'll think I'm working for the GCPD! But... if you let me make these arrangements, my mother won't have to be uprooted..." At the mention of his mother staying at their home, Oswald frowned. "Unlike myself."

 

"What about when Fish finds out you're still alive?" Jim asked. "She's going to, sooner or later. I'm sure you don't want your mother to have to leave here... but you might have to consider whether it'll be the safest option."

 

Oswald pulled at his hair in his frustration, looking down once more. "Mother has lived here all my life and then some... at least twenty-five years. She isn't going to want to leave." He was silent a moment before raising his eyes to Jim's, a hint of desperation creeping over him now. "It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since I took the money. I can make this right if you let me do things my way. You're just going to have to trust me, James."

 

Oswald hoped the other man would let him attempt to reach out to his connections. A small panic was beginning to grow within him now, as it was clear getting back in contact with Maroni to further his own agenda was not going to happen; meaning that he would have to find other means to secure his and his mother's safety to ensure Fish didn't discover he was in fact still alive. Oswald was a betting man, but he didn't want to lay his bet on Levant 'doing the right thing', as he didn't know the man and he didn't have as much hope for humanity as the detective seemed to have in him.

 

"This isn't just your life on the line, Oswald," Jim pointed out. "You at least need to tell your mother of the potential danger she's in... let her make the decision about her safety. But if you don't say anything and something happens..." He didn't finish the sentence. He knew Oswald would understand the danger.

 

Looking to the door and back to Jim, Oswald's voice raised an octave. "No!" Realizing he didn't want his mother to hear their conversation, Oswald lowered his voice to an almost whisper. "I can't tell her that I've had dealings with the mob! She'll..." He shook his head, his cheeks flushing. "I don't want to upset her when we can clean this problem up without her ever knowing." The truth of the matter was that Oswald knew his mother would be more than upset; her image of him would be shattered and that level of disappointment was not something he wished to bear.

 

"What makes you so sure that it's possible to clear this up without her being put in danger?" Jim asked outright. "You aren't going to be able to keep your survival a secret for that long. What do you think's going to happen when they start trying to use you? Or decide to kill you? It won't matter that your mother doesn't know about them. They're not going to believe you didn't say anything."

 

Frowning, Oswald asked defiantly, “If they’re going to find out one way or another, what difference does it make what angle I take? All letting my mother in on knowing what could happen will only serve to worry her senseless. I’m not sure it’s possible to clear this up without a hitch, but I don’t see as we have many other options; do you?”

 

"We don't have many other options," Jim replied. "But no matter what you tell your mother, I don't think leaving her here will be the safest option. It won't be hard to find out where she lives. Someone may have already passed that information on."

 

Oswald looked puzzled. "What are you suggesting, then? Do you plan to let her stay with you and Barbara?" The couple did have two spare bedrooms, but Oswald was mortified of the thought of his mother also staying with them and finding out anything about Jim's 'correctional tactics', especially if it cam to light why he and his mother needed to stay with them. His mother might even agree with Jim if she knew just how deep he'd gotten himself entrenched within the mob. He immediately suggested, "Perhaps she could stay with you while I stay here until all of this blows over? It would keep her away from any hazards and allow us to work together more easily without putting her in danger."

 

"Oswald, you will be staying with me and Barbara in either case," Jim said. "Whether we have your mother stay with us or somewhere else, the important thing is to keep the two of you as safe as possible."

 

Oswald gave a short, nervous laugh and smiled at Jim tightly. "Of course, safety first..." His mind ticked over the possibilities that were to come next. He knew his mother did not own a car and Jim wasn't likely to let him out of his sight again for some time. He had a foreboding sense of what the other man was likely to do to him once he got him out of proximity of his mother, so Oswald hoped that keeping her near would in turn keep any thought of a spanking from Jim at bay until the matter had hopefully been either forgotten, or dulled enough for a more reasonable chat about the situation, as Jim was entirely too prone to action for Oswald's tastes.

 

He cleared his throat, speaking in his most sincere manner. "Well, if you deem it necessary for mother's safety to leave our home, we should probably let her know to pack a bag to come back to the brownstone with us right away, as the hour is getting late. Once we've got her settled, I can try to touch base with those people that can go through with the trade off as I suggested earlier. Then, once we know the plan went well, we can be done with this matter and mother will be safe in her home again in short order." As an almost after thought, Oswald added, "Please... let's just keep the severity of this situation between the two of us... mother worries easily; and I don't want to make her stress unduly, you understand."

 

"I don't think we should make any concrete decisions about how to handle what we tell your mother," Jim replied. "If telling her might keep her safe, you should be prepared to talk to your mother about this. And after we drop your mother at the apartment, we will be having a discussion," he added. He decided that he could bring Oswald back here to handle the other man taking off, since he wasn't yet sure if he could realistically respond to Oswald's behavious where his mother could hear.

 

Oswald’s eyes widened a bit at the implication behind the words ‘having a discussion,’ and he smiled weakly. “Well, if we are to head back to the apartment, mother should probably be informed. If you would, can you let her know? I’ll, of course, need to dry off and dress and can be out shortly.” Oswald was seriously regretting coming back to his mother’s so soon. He should have probably anticipated the detective would have worked his mother over, turning her against him. The fact that Jim had convinced her that Oswald needed his protection grated on his nerves, but that was something he could work to repair later. For now, he needed to comply with Jim until he had a chance for better leverage. Why couldn’t their bathroom have had a window to climb out of? Oswald thought to himself miserably.

 

Jim's gaze left Oswald's face, just long enough to scan the bathroom and make sure there wasn't a way the other man could sneak out, and then focused on Oswald once more. "You have five minutes. If you're not out by then, I'm coming in after you," he warned, before stepping out of the bathroom and approaching Oswald's mother.

 

Gertrude had been pacing back and forth, feeling horribly guilty for not keeping her son's secret. Her anxious eyes lifted to the door as Jim walked out to approach her. A frown creased her brow as she asked worryingly, "Is he very upset with me?"

 

"He's upset with me... not you," Jim said. He paused to figure out how to word what he wanted to say and then went on. "But we are both worried about your safety. I understand you've lived here a long time, but I think it might be good for you to come and stay with me and Barbara - at least until things are a bit safer for your son."

 

Gertrude's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Oh? You wish for me to stay with you as well? Are these bad men that dangerous?" Gertrude looked even more concerned now. "I appreciate that you and Barbara would go to such troubles for me and my boy. I will, of course, come with you as you recommend, but do you expect it to take some time to bring these men to justice? This is my home and I would hate to have to move." She seemed rather sad as she glanced about the apartment, imagining the actual notion of having to leave it behind.

 

"I hope that moving permanently won't have to happen, but if it gets too dangerous for you to be here, we might have to look into it as a possibility," Jim replied. "For now... if you just pack a bag with what you need for a few days. I can always come back here and pick up anything else you need."

 

She nodded solemnly, "Thank you detective, you are so good to us. I won't be but a moment," as she said this, she gave Jim a small pat on the arm and moved down the hall.

 

Oswald opened the door peering out after her, and seeing her leave quietly side stepped over to where Jim stood ask, "How did she take the news?"

 

Jim glanced at Oswald. "She understood without me needing to go into detail about the true danger." It was a pity the same couldn't be said of Oswald. "We'll drop her back at the apartment and then come back here to talk." He considered telling Oswald to stay here, but discarded that thought. The moment he turned his back, the other man would be off like a shot. He was sure of it.

 

A thrill of fear shot up Oswald's spine. He quickly looked away, squeaking out, "I'll go get dressed." He quickly shuffled off towards his room to change, thinking there was no way in hell he planned to come back here with Jim for his not-so-conversational talk. The man must think him a fool or a masochist!

 

Jim had no intention of letting Oswald make a break for it and he stepped over to follow the other man. "I think I'll keep you company while you get dressed. I'll keep my back to you," he added, the tone of his voice making it clear he wasn't going to back down on this. Oswald had taken off once. Jim wasn't going to assume it wouldn't happen again.

 

Oswald frowned, but didn't argue with the man, simply speeding up, feeling agitated more and more by the turn of events. He couldn't believe he'd been foolish enough to come back here with the assumption that Jim wouldn't be so pushy after everything he'd already endured with the man. He was also feeling betrayed; his mother had given him up so quickly. He definitely planned to have a long discussion with her about trust and confidence... but that was something to worry about in the future.

 

Oswald stormed into his room, rummaging through his closet and tossing a suit on the bed to take with him and a set of sweats from the dresser for night clothes. All the while, Oswald made no compunction about his irritation. He wore a deep seeded frown as he flung down the suit and slammed the dresser drawer closed after grabbing the sweats.

 

Even if Jim couldn't see Oswald's face, due to his back being to the other man, he could definitely hear Oswald's irritation. "If you hadn't shown yourself so willing to take off, I wouldn't need to keep such a close eye on you now," he said. "Your mother was really upset and worried about you." She might not know even a fraction of what her son was up to, but she clearly didn't want anything to happen to him.

 

Oswald growled, spinning around to yell at Jim's back, "If I didn't feel like a prisoner in your captivity, then perhaps I wouldn't have felt the need to escape. As for my mother, she was just fine until you filled her head with all these concerns that, frankly, were better left unsaid! My mother is my business, not yours!"

 

It felt so good to give Jim a piece of his mind. Oswald was angry on so many levels and until now, he'd felt too subconscious of how the other man might react to his anger to let his frustrations go, but from the fact Jim had already expressed they were to drop his mother off and come back here to 'talk', Oswald had deduced that the man was likely uncomfortable with punishing him in front of his mother and Oswald planned to use that fact to his full advantage.

 

Jim decided that he wasn't going to continue talking to Oswald with his back turned and moved so that he was facing Oswald. "If you were a prisoner, you wouldn't have been able to leave the apartment at all." He held in his own temper, though it was difficult not to raise his voice. "You brought me into this situation, Oswald. What did you expect to happen when you came back to Gotham? I've been trying to protect you and I'm still not even sure how much I can trust you, since almost everything out of your mouth is a lie or a manipulation."

 

Oswald's mouth formed in to a tight line. "I didn't ask for your protection, James, and as far as I'm concerned, the only person I've needed protecting from these past few days is you!"

 

Jim narrowed his eyes, but still managed to avoid raising his voice back at Oswald. "If you didn't want my protection, you wouldn't have come to find me even after you came back to Gotham. You could have disappeared easily."

 

Incensed now, Oswald spat angrily, "I wasn't going to leave Gotham; my mother is still here!  You have the nerve to call me a liar and a manipulator, but if we want to speak in truths, you're not as worried about protecting me as protecting yourself and Barbara. The only real reason you don't want to lose track of me is that you're worried about Fish finding out you didn't actually kill me!"

 

Jim took a deep breath, trying to keep his own voice calm. "She's going to find out I didn't kill you. That part is unavoidable. What I'm trying to do right now is damage control... and not just because of me and Barbara. I haven't lied to you. If I was really only concerned with saving my own skin, do you really think I'd care enough to stop you doing something dangerous? Like when you took that money. Or skipped out from the art gallery."

 

Oswald didn’t like that Jim was countering his argument with what Jim saw as his recent mistakes. Granted, taking the money was becoming more of a headache now that he had been cut off from getting back to Maroni. Fish was going to be a problem, too, if Oswald was discovered, he knew; and he needed to focus on that fact to lean Jim more towards his personal agenda. “Fish doesn’t have to find out and if she does, even you won’t be able to protect me. I was trying to get in good with Maroni, so that she couldn’t just outright kill me. That was me protecting myself and, in so doing, also protecting you, because her finding out I’m alive can put you in danger as well as Barbara. You can’t beat these people without my help, James, and to do that, I’ll have to play a little on the dangerous side.”

 

Jim shook his head. "Even if you have to do some dangerous things, you shouldn't have taken off like that," he pointed out. "How well have you been hiding yourself? How many people does Fish have working for her? Choosing to stay here in Gotham is already putting me and Barbara in danger... but there are ways to fight without becoming the very thing you're fighting against."

 

Oswald sighed; there really was no arguing with the man. Deciding to back down for now, Oswald opted to finish getting dressed, laying his robe on the bed, and thew on his sweat pants and a tee shirt. Oswald mumbled, as he gathered his suit from the bed and proceeded towards the door, "We should gather mother, before she packs away the entire house."

 

Jim didn't bother saying anything and instead just walked to the door, waiting for Oswald to exit first, since he still wasn't sure the other man wouldn't try something like climb out the window.

 

Oswald moved past Jim, quickly grabbing his socks and a pair of tennis shoes and putting them on, before going to find his mother, who was packing away the last of her toiletries.

 

She turned to face him with a guilt ridden frown. “I am so sorry, Oswald, please don’t be angry with your mother. I only want what is best for you…”

 

Oswald held up a hand to silence her. His tone came off as cold and clipped. “It’s fine, mother; I can see that you trust the word of an almost stranger over your own flesh and blood. Where I won’t say that it doesn’t disappoint me in your choices, I’m not angry with you. Who I am angry with is the detective for working you up so.” He took in a deep breath. “We will talk more tonight, when I help you get settled in, mother.” Picking up her bags for her, he motioned for her to proceed.

 

Jim was waiting at the front of the hall, apparently wanting to ensure the other man didn’t try to bolt from his view without the detective being able to make quick work of catching him once more. This, of course, only made Oswald feel more trapped. With his mother also staying at Jim’s, there was no real way for him to escape his presence without also excluding contact from his mother. Even though her recent betrayal had angered him and he’d considered it almost fitting if he did leave her for choosing Jim’s word over his, these thoughts were fleeting and spawned from his anger at being caught. His mother was not him and he supposed he should have known better. This, however, didn’t make him ‘feel’ any better.

 

The trio moved like a procession to Jim’s car and Oswald put the two large suitcases his mother had packed in the backseat behind Jim before opening the passenger side door to help his mother inside. Oswald then climbed in beside the suitcases, making a point to be as far away from Jim as proximity would allow and to look as unhappy as he felt, with a deep seeded frown remaining firmly intact all the while.

 

Jim didn't say a word, barring what he needed to. He didn't tell Oswald to move seats. He didn't say anything... because he planned to say what he needed to as soon as the two of them were alone. He began driving back to his and Barbara's apartment without a word, already having decided that he still wasn't going to let Oswald out of his sight... at least until they'd dealt with what they needed to.


	9. Chapter Nine

The ride was silent, outside of a little small talk between Gertrude and Jim about what she would like to get from the house when it was more convenient and safe. Oswald sat with his arms crossed, silently brooding, until they pulled into the parking lot. As soon as they had parked, Oswald was sure to open his mother's door to help her out; as he did so, he asked Jim, "Would you be so kind as to grab mother's bags while I escort her to the brownstone?"

 

Oswald had wanted to make sure Jim would be closest to the bags, ensuring he would be encumbered enough not to be able to make any sudden moves until Oswald was safely inside with his mother. He had no intention of leaving her side any time soon, since he was more than aware what Jim had planned for him. Oswald wasn't about to give Jim the opportunity to enact his more than promised threat for as long as he could possibly avoid the other man.

 

Jim nodded, picking up the bags, but spoke mildly to Oswald. "We can let your mother settle in while we have that discussion we need to." He had no doubt that Oswald was going to use his mother to try and postpone what Jim had planned... but he was making it clear that wasn't going to work.

 

Oswald paled at the mention of any discussion alone with Jim. He smiled tightly. “Come, mother.” Beads of sweat had begun to form on his brow as he swiftly escorted his mother away from Jim. He whispered to her, once he’d made a small amount of distance from Jim, “Mother, I think it’s best if I help you unpack and get you settled in. This whole debacle is quite distressing, I’m sure.”

 

Gertrude beamed at Oswald, feeling much better that he didn’t seem to be as upset anymore. “Oh, Oswald, you are too good to me; but don’t you worry about me. If you need to go have a talk with the detective, I’ll be fine.”

 

Oswald seemed a bit panicked, as Jim had already rounded the car and was quickly making the distance he’d put between them. “No, I… I really want to do this, it’ll make me feel better to make it up to you, really, mother!”

 

Her smile broadened. “Of course, if it will make you feel better, how can I refuse?”

 

Oswald breathed a sigh of relief that she had accepted his help and visibly relaxed, although he was unsure if Jim had heard any of what he said. Either way, he kept his face turned away from the man, feeling slightly flushed and apprehensive.

 

Jim had shifted close enough to overhear what Oswald was saying and he spoke in a mild tone... though the look on his face was serious enough. "You can always help your mother settle in when we come back, Oswald." There was a look on his face that suggested he wasn't above physically dragging Oswald away.

 

They all boarded the elevator and Oswald cleared his throat, trying to seem nonchalant, but his nervousness bled through by the slight tremor in his voice and the increasing blush of his cheeks. “It’s late, James; I don’t wish to keep my mother up any later than she’s already been inconvenienced by. I think it’s best if I help my mother first. Surely our discussion can wait until everyone has got some rest.”

 

"It isn't going to wait." Jim looked seriously at Oswald as he added, "Or we can always have the discussion in the apartment." He might be reluctant to punish Oswald where others could hear... but reluctant didn't mean he wouldn't do it.

 

He wouldn’t, would he? Oswald seriously considered Jim now as they exited the elevator and made their way to the apartment. Jim had to be bluffing, he thought, but then he remembered he hadn’t hesitated to keep spanking him when Barbara came out the night before. Oswald blushed again furiously and followed silently, now trying to think on how he could ingratiate himself to Jim well enough to avoid the man’s obvious anger with his recent actions.

 

Gertrude noticed the tension between the two and added tentatively, “Oswald, if you and detective Gordon really need to talk, I don’t want to get in your way.”

 

Oswald frowned, deciding then that Jim had to be bluffing. Spanking him in front of Barbara was one thing, but there was no way Jim would have the audacity to actually try to spank him in front of his own mother. And if Jim did try to assault him, his mother surely wouldn’t stand for it and the two of them would leave and return home and Oswald would be rid of his overlord.

 

Barbara seemed surprised to see both Mrs. Cobblepot and her son entering the apartment, followed by Jim carrying two big suitcases. Her eyes widened. “Oh! I see we will have another houseguest…” She gave Oswald a small wave and an almost apologetic look. “Hello again, Oswald.”

 

Oswald assumed, by the look she gave him, that she also presumed that Jim would be tanning his bottom, if he hadn’t already. This, of course, only served to incense Oswald that these people would think it perfectly okay to spank him. He was a grown man, after all! He began brooding once more as he stated coolly, “Barbara. It would seem Jim has felt the need to start a Cobblepot collection. A pity I have no other living relatives to fill your house.”

 

Barbara didn’t really know what to say to that remark, looking at Jim and then Gertrude before motioning to the hallway. “Mrs. Cobblepot, I have another spare room next to Jim and I’s… I will need a moment to gather you some sheets…” She looked to Jim a moment, before heading down the hall to retrieve the linens.

 

Jim carried the bags through to the room and nodded slightly to Oswald and his mother, before he went to join Barbara. He had to admit, even if only to himself, that he was getting frustrated with the other man. He stopped by Barbara and sighed, then tried to act like all was normal, not wanting to worry her. "Sorry I was gone for so long."

 

Barbara had just finished pulling the linens out of the closet by the time Jim had arrived at her side. She smiled sympathetically at him, brushing her free hand to his to clasp them together and give a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay; I wasn’t there, but it looks like you need a bit of a breather. Why don’t you go to the room and take a minute to relax? I’ll go get Mrs. Cobblepot’s room ready.”

 

Squeezing his hand once more, Barbara moved towards the Cobblepots, giving Gertrude a warm, welcoming smile. “I have a few things stored in this room, but I can remove them in the morning to give you more room to get comfortable while you’re staying with us. The bathroom is at the other end of the hall.” She pointed past Jim. “Oswald has been staying right across from the bathroom.”

 

Oswald, thinking to get some alone time with his mother, reached for the sheets. “Please, allow me, Barbara.”

 

Barbara hesitated momentarily before handing the sheets over to Oswald. She was prone to wanting to keep her own house in order, but she didn’t see any harm in letting Oswald tend to his mother; after all, the two of them were just adjusting to having Oswald staying with them, perhaps having Gertrude there would get the other man to relax a bit. “Sure… knock yourself out.” She smiled.

 

Jim had moved to the bedroom, silently shooting Oswald a look that bordered on a glare as the other man had clutched the sheets to his chest, grinding his teeth nervously and watching him quite warily until Jim had turned the corner and dipped in to the bedroom.

 

Gertrude seemed quite happy as she had been looking about the flat admiringly. It was much larger than she was used to. “Thank you, Barbara. You and detective James are so kind to open your home to us. I hope we are not too much of a burden to you two.”

 

Waving her off, Barbara replied, “Nonsense. The place can get a little lonesome when Jim is working a lot of hours. You two are quite welcome here, Mrs. Cobblepot.”

 

Patting her hand, the older woman replied with a smile, “Call me Gertrude, I feel old enough as it is.”

 

Barbara gave her a broad grin. “Of course, Gertrude it is.”

 

Oswald then ushered his mother towards her appointed room, eyeing the hallway carefully. “Come, mother, let me help get you set up.” He didn’t wish to linger in the hall too long, thinking that the safety of his mother’s new room sounded like a good escape from Jim’s wrath for the time being.

 

Gertrude followed her son readily and the two disappeared into the other guest bedroom. Oswald was quick to shut the door swiftly behind them.

 

Barbara took in a deep breath as the door shut, moving in to their own room to see Jim sitting on the bed, his elbows on his knees with his chin resting on his folded hands. He looked deep in thought when she entered and obviously irate.

 

She glided over to him, climbing on to the bed next to him and giving his shoulders a squeeze. “Wanna talk about it?”

 

Jim sighed, leaning slightly towards Barbara. "I'm... frustrated." That might be a fairly tame word for how he was feeling. "I'm not entirely sure I'm doing the right thing with Oswald." He kept his voice low, not wanting to risk either Oswald or his mother overhearing. "But he did run off... and things could have gone a lot worse."

 

Barbara gave Jim another squeeze to his shoulders and a kiss on his temple. "Oswald is... difficult, to put it lightly, but I don't think what you're doing is wrong. He obviously needs direction if he's putting himself in danger and also putting you in danger in the process. He's stubborn, but, so are you. You will get through to him, but maybe..." Barbara rose from the bed to stride over to her dresser. She picked up a wide square brush, turning it in her hand a moment before bringing it back to Jim. "He might need a little more incentive."

 

Surprised, Jim nevertheless reached out to take the brush from her, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. "I was reluctant to bring this up in front of Oswald's mother... but I think it's important she understand the situation he's in," he said honestly. "Still, it might be easier on her if I take Oswald back to her apartment to deal with this."

 

Barbara took a moment to consider Jim's quandary before shaking her head. "I don't think taking him back to his mother's is a good idea. If you do, he might make it that much more difficult for you just to get him there... and if you take him away to address the issue, it's going to make him think as long as Gertrude is present, he has room for opposition concerning her. No, I think you should approach his mother first to address the issue and explain just how deep Oswald is in trouble, to the point it's also putting us and her in danger. From what little I've seen, I'm pretty sure she has no clue what Oswald has been up to. Let her decide if she thinks Oswald deserves a spanking; and if she doesn't, then it might be impossible to get Oswald on the right path and maybe we need to let him make his bed and lie in it. But if she does, her disapproval might be the push he needs to realize something has to change."

 

Jim nodded, listening to Barbara without a word before he said, "You're right." He stood up, hugging Barbara close. "Thank you." His voice was quietly grateful. Being supported, even if it was just by his fiance, was one of the main things that enabled him to do what he needed to.

 

Barbara hugged him back tightly. "You know, you don't have to do this alone. I can come with you."

 

"I wouldn't want you to be bothered by this," Jim said... although, if he was honest, he thought he could really use Barbara's support. It helped to know that she supported him even in this.

 

Barbara smiled. "You should know it's not a bother. I'm more than happy to stand by and support you."

 

Jim nodded and smiled in return, though there was little humour in it. "In that case, I could use you there as a support."

 

She leaned in to give him a quick kiss, taking in a deep breath. "I'm ready when you are."

 

"I suppose getting it over with sooner is best." Jim stepped back from Barbara, giving her a grateful smile, and then left the bedroom, heading to Gertrude's room. He was more comfortable with what he was going to do now and there was a more determined look on his face.

 

As soon as Oswald had his mother alone, he began preparing her bed. As he did so, he was sure to hint at the fact that he should probably stay the night with her, since she was in a strange place and he wanted to make sure she slept well.

 

He didn’t want to let on to her that he was avoiding Jim, but his mother was intuitive enough to sense it. “Oswald, why are you so reluctant to talk with the good detective?”

 

Oswald shifted uncomfortably. “Uh… James can be a bit dogged in his discussions, mother, and I simply don’t wish to be confronted with having to deal with the man at this hour. I know you are fond of him for bringing me back home, but he doesn’t treat me as he should.”

 

Gertrude’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

 

This wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have with her. Shaking his head, Oswald frowned. “It doesn’t matter. What does is that I don’t want to stay here, mother. I feel stifled here and I want us to go home, rather than stay here any longer.”

 

Gertrude sighed. “Oswald, I do not think the detective is as unbearable as you say. I see he cares for you and I know that your father left us when you were very young, so a strong male presence in your life might be good for you.”

 

Oswald snarled, “I don’t need male guidance, mother. I am twenty-two years old, for Christ’s sake! Just… never mind. I obviously didn’t understand the extent James had warped your perception.”

 

Gertrude was taken aback. “Oswald!”

 

Oswald froze when he heard a knock on the door. Gertrude had been sitting on the freshly made bed while Oswald had busied himself unpacking for her through their conversation. He was going to tell her not to let them in, but she had called out before he could speak, “Coming!”

 

She rose quickly, opening the door to the couple wide and inviting them in.

 

For his part, Oswald scowled, but said nothing as he continued to unpack his mother’s belongings, at a much slower pace now.

 

Jim stepped into the room, glancing briefly at Oswald before he addressed Gertrude. The brush dangled casually at his side. "I don't think your son's been as honest with you as he could have been."

 

Immediately Oswald’s eyes shot up to Jim, his mouth hanging agape slightly as he quickly interjected, “James, mother has already been told that her life was in danger and that I had some mishaps with a few bad men. I would really rather you leave the conversation at that. She doesn’t need to know details that would further work her up!”

 

Gertrude’s eyebrows crinkled in confusion as she turned to face her son imploringly. “Oswald, what are you hiding from me?”

 

Barbara answered before he could, though. “Gertrude, Oswald wasn’t just mixed up in an altercation with bad people; he was working for them. Jim saved his life from an execution and since Oswald has come back to town, Jim has been working to keep your son from further entrenching himself in with these people. That’s why Jim asked him to stay with us, to protect him from them and apparently himself.”

 

Gertrude looked shocked, rendered quite speechless as she looked between Oswald and the couple.

 

“That’s not exactly true, mother, Barbara has obviously gotten all of her facts from James.” Oswald hated seeing that look on her face. He wrung his hands, trying to think of exactly how to spin what he planned to say next to put himself in a better light.

 

"Barbara has the truth from me, Oswald," Jim said quietly. "I think you owe your mother the truth. Your actions have not only put yourself in danger, but also her. You were lucky not to be grabbed when you left the art gallery." He didn't add that Oswald could have been tailed back to his mother's, not wanting the woman to become even more afraid.

 

Oswald’s mouth formed a tight line as Jim spoke, his anger foaming to the surface. “I have been as honest as I need to be with her. You are turning her against me!”

 

It was Gertrude’s turn to get angry. “Enough, Oswald!”

 

Oswald’s temper immediately dispersed as his eyes went wide, looking at her fully now. His mother rarely ever raised her voice to him. He spoke much more demurely now as he steepled his hands. “Mother, you, you don’t see what they are doing. I… I can explain, really.”

 

She took a few steps back as she sat slowly onto the bed, her eyes never leaving him, although they looked at him questioningly. “Please, Oswald. Tell me the truth.”

 

Oswald’s mouth worked a moment before he shuffled to sit beside her on the bed, grabbing her hand and looking at her earnestly. “Okay. I haven’t been completely honest with you, mother…what Barbara said is half true… I… I did get mixed up with some dangerous people… willingly, but I swear to you, I can make this right! I… you know I just want to take care of you, right?”

 

A single tear fell from her eye as she studied him. “These people, Oswald. Who are they? Why would they want to kill you?”

 

Oswald sighed, letting her hand drop as he faced forward, grabbing at handfuls of his hair. He wasn’t really sure how to answer that question with Jim and Barbara there to rebuff any untruths he might spin or omissions, but Barbara took the moment of prolonged silence to answer for him.

 

“It’s various elements of the mob, from what Jim has told me… and from what Oswald has told me, he’s been trying to work an angle with another unaffiliated group that had ended with him getting beaten up pretty badly and Jim having to vouch for him to save his life… again.”

 

"These are people who are dangerous and Oswald has been attempting to play several of them against each other," Jim said. "The most recent situation is that he took some money that was meant to be paid to one of the people who still believes him to be dead. That belief won't be held for long."

 

Oswald stared at the two, obviously quite flustered, but unable to deny their claims.

 

Gertrude drew his attention before he could counter their statements. "I never knew... Oswald... what have I done that you would do these things? I am a bad mother that I have somehow led you astray!"

 

Oswald grimaced. "Don't say that, mother." He glared at Jim now.

 

"You can't blame anyone else for the choices you made," Jim said calmly, as he held eye contact with Oswald. "But you don't have to continue making the wrong choices."

 

Oswald's eyes narrowed at Jim, but looking at his mother's obvious grief left him feeling guilty and he only sighed, lowering his eyes and responding, almost defeatedly, "I'm not blaming anyone else... I want to fix this. I do... it wasn't supposed to go like this..."

 

"I understand that, Oswald," Jim said, his voice much softer than it normally was. "But you can't try and fix this on your own. It's too dangerous and all you'll do is get yourself even more mixed up. The next time, I might not be able to pull you out." There was a big part of Jim that still wondered if Oswald was manipulating him... but even if the other man was, he couldn't do anything other than respond.

 

Gertrude patted his knee affectionately. "Please, Oswald, let the detective help you. I cannot bear the thought of losing you!"

 

Oswald frowned, shaking his head; as much as he wanted to fight Jim, a small part of him knew the man was right. How many times did he have to almost die before enough was enough? This all felt oddly like some form of intervention and Oswald felt uncharacteristically tongue tied.

 

"This is about your safety," Jim said. "Yes, I'm concerned about myself and Barbara as well... but your safety isn't below ours. It's on the same level. I think you came to me first because you trusted me to protect you. But protecting you from yourself is as important as protecting you from people like Fish and Maroni."

 

His eyes rose to Jim's once more and the anger was gone. What was left seemed forlorn and dejected; Oswald nodded, responding in barely over a whisper. "Okay... you win. I'll stop. We'll fix this your way." Oswald was tired of fighting a losing battle. Jim had involved his mother and he really had no defense against her wishes coinciding with his.

 

Jim merely nodded and then turned to Gertrude. Part of the battle was over, but he knew he needed to get the rest of it out in the open. "When Oswald tried to leave the first night to go and meet up with some of these bad people, I brought him back here and spanked him," he said, his voice firm and no-nonsense. "The reason he doesn't want to leave your side is because he knows I plan to respond the same way because of the way he left and put himself in danger."

 

All the color drained from Oswald's face as he stared in shock at Jim. He had come to terms with Jim telling his mother about the truth of the situation, but he hadn't expected Jim would have the gall to actually admit that to his mother. His face now burned with his embarrassment as he spat, "James!" He spun back to look at his mother, who seemed quite surprised to hear that. His mouth worked for a moment before he stated, "He brutalized me, mother! I didn't want to tell you, but since James has decided to make you privy to this, I'll admit that he has me quite afraid of what he'll do to me!" Oswald was hamming it up, he knew, but even if he had agreed to go along with Jim's plans, he certainly wasn't agreeing to getting spanked again!

 

Gertrude's eyes went back and forth, unsure what to believe now after coming to grips with what her son had been doing.

 

"I haven't brutalised you," Jim pointed out calmly. "I spanked you for putting yourself in danger. And for putting us in danger, too. And that's exactly what you did again when you left the art gallery."

 

Barbara added quite firmly, "I can attest to that fact, since I accidentally walked in on the first spanking; and Jim was not abusive in the least, but if Oswald wishes to make such accusations, perhaps he can show us the marks of brutality Jim has supposedly levied upon him."

 

Gertrude blinked. "First? There's been more than one?"

 

Oswald put his hands over his face, so ashamed was he feeling that he couldn't even look at his mother now. "Yes! That should be proof enough of his use of excessive violence!"

 

"It happened twice," Jim said. "Both times were because Oswald had put himself in danger." He didn't point out that he hadn't been as harsh with Oswald the second time, considering the other man had still been feeling the effects of the first spanking.

 

Gertrude was taken aback by all that she'd just learned and merely stated, somewhat subdued, "I see." She looked back at Oswald now, who was still covering his face, and sighed. "I never raised a hand to my son... He was always such a good boy. When he did misbehave, I only talked to him and I thought that was enough... but perhaps I should have spanked him."

 

Oswald was appalled by what he was hearing as he raised his head from his hands, the look of shock quite evident on his face. "What!? You... you are okay with this? I thought you loved me!?"

 

Gertrude looked pained to see him look at her that way and reached out to him. "Oh, Oswald!"

 

Oswald recoiled from her as if she had struck him. "I can't believe you would condone this behavior, mother! I thought you more civilized than that, but we've all learned a little something here today, haven't we?" Oswald stated coldly.

 

"I understand you're upset, Oswald, but surely you can see that your mother wants the best for you," Jim said. "A spanking is painful and embarrassing, yes, but it won't put you in the hospital. It won't get you killed. And when used correctly, it's used by someone who actually cares about what happens to the person they're punishing."

 

Oswald glanced back to Jim, his eyes wild. "I think I've suffered enough! I said I would do things your way now... I don't think further punishment is necessary!"

 

His eyes darted back to his mother. "Tell them, mother!" He looked at her in desperation, knowing now that she was the only person who was standing between him and another spanking.

 

Gertrude looked at him sadly, unable to respond as she shook her head.

 

Jim looked at Oswald, addressing him calmly but not unkindly. "You knew you shouldn't have left the art gallery. You took off when you knew I wasn't around to stop you. And you tried to get your mother to lie for you."

 

Oswald stammered, "Well... yes, but but that was only because you left me little choice! I was feeling trapped under your boot heel, with no means of recourse!"

 

Barbara shook her head in disappointment. "Oswald, I was there when you came to Jim. He was suspected of murdering you and you have the nerve to say such things? We've done nothing but open our home to you to try and keep you out of trouble and you've done nothing but resist Jim's efforts to help you. If you want to stop putting yourself in a situation that gets you spanked, then stop acting like a petulant child in need of one!"

 

Barbara's outburst had surprised Oswald. He stared at her in shock, unable to respond.

 

Jim glanced at Barbara, a little surprised that she had reacted like that, but he didn't comment on it and then turned back to Oswald. "I don't think there's any more we can talk about on this subject," he said. "I think we should get this over with." It was late... and Jim really just wanted to get this over with. He didn't actually get any kind of satisfaction from this, but he truly believed it was necessary.

 

Oswald shrank back, looking once more to his mother for support, but she did not grant him a reprieve, only giving him a mournful, almost pitying look. He swallowed hard, feeling on the verge of tears, so humiliated was he feeling. He choked out an almost inaudible, "No..." His lip trembled as looked pleadingly back at Jim. His throat felt too tight as he warbled, "Please don't. I promise I won't try to run again. I'm truly sorry for any inconvenience and hardships I've caused you. Believe me now when I say that I understand the severity of my situation."

 

"I believe that you mean that right now," Jim said. "But you knew what I was going to do when you ran. I appreciate you promising not to run again, but while you're here, I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep you safe. And that does mean spanking you right now, because endangering yourself is _not_ going to be acceptable. It's never going to be acceptable."

 

Oswald wanted to fight the seemingly unfair statutes, but he had done this dance twice before and knew there was no escaping from what he had coming. He sniffed, his eyes watering. It was taking all his strength to hold back his emotions and not cry out of self-pity. He whined in a small, broken voice, "Can we at least go somewhere else...? I don't want mother to have to see this."

 

Jim thought about saying no... if only to make it clear that he was fully prepared to spank Oswald where his mother could see if it was necessary. On this occasion, though, he decided to make that small concession... for as long as Oswald didn't give him a really hard time about this. "This time, we'll take care of this in the living room. But I have no problem taking care of this in front of others," he warned.

 

Oswald lowered his head, giving a small nod as he moved forward through the door quietly. He had started crying silently as he shuffled past Jim, trying his best not to let the women see his tears. It was humiliating enough that they knew what was about to happen to him; he didn't want them to also see or hear him crying about it. Once past the door frame, where he knew only Jim could hear him, he whimpered, "Can we please go back to my room? They'll... be able to hear it in the living room."

 

Jim stepped after Oswald, glancing at the other man as he decided to agree to the request. "We can take care of this in your room this time," he said.

 

His voice hitched as he said in a watery, almost inaudible squeak, "Thank you." Oswald wiped at his eyes with both hands as he made his way down the hall towards the room given him. His face was beet red and no matter how much he wiped at his eyes, more tears sprang in their place to replace the ones he'd wiped away. This, of course, stressed him further, making the tears come that much more easily.

 

He froze once he'd past the threshold, a tight knot becoming very noticeable in his stomach as a chill rode up his spine. It was about to happen... again! The realization that he could manage to get himself into a predicament where he had earned multiple spankings in mere days was almost maddening.

 

Jim placed his hand on Oswald's shoulder, using that to guide the other man into the room. He didn't speak as he moved over to the bed, holding the brush in his free hand.

 

Oswald's eyes widened at the first realization that Jim had been carrying the brush and why; it hadn't occurred to him that Jim might have a mind to actually use it on him. He sputtered, "You... you're not going to hit me with that, are you!?"

 

"Endangering yourself is a serious issue and one that we've already dealt with once," Jim replied. "I don't want to deal with this again, so I'm making the consequences more severe this time." He sat down on the bed and tugged Oswald round to his side and across his lap.

 

Oswald let out a small, panicked yelp, stiffening at the sudden motion. He threw his hands back quickly to cover his ass. "No! James, please! I can't handle that! It's too much with just your hand; please... just this once...?" Oswald hoped, since the man had given in to his other two requests, it wouldn't hurt to try.

 

"This isn't negotiable, Oswald." Jim grasped the other man's wrists, moving them to the small of his back and pinning them there, before he tugged down Oswald's pants and underwear.

 

Oswald gasped as the cool air brought goosebumps to his exposed flesh. Of course, Oswald frowned miserably at the fact Jim had also decided to add that extra bit to the spanking. He had worn sweat pants in the hopes Jim would have left his pants in place and they would soften the impact, but lately, he had no luck. Having his hands trapped in the small of his back sent his heart racing as he pleaded, "I... I don't think I can take much of that, James... I have a rather weak constitution!"

 

Jim simply wrapped his arm around Oswald's waist, drawing the other man in tight against his stomach. He didn't bother replying to the complaint, instead just lifting his hand and bringing it down hard on Oswald's bare backside, before repeating the swat on his other cheek.

 

When Jim's calloused hand made contact, Oswald jerked from the impact, but he was happy that Jim had decided to be merciful and leave the brush aside. Even so, Oswald bucked at the stinging sensation he was beginning to know too well. Already, he was making small noises; more from his anticipation of the pain than the pain itself.

 

Jim didn't waste any time in settling into a pattern of swats, working his way from the crest of Oswald's backside and continuing down to his thighs. He held back a little on the swats, since he intended for this to just be the warm-up before he picked up the brush.

 

Grunting and twitching with each slap, Oswald did not hold back his misery at his current position as he whimpered in dismay the more the burn radiated into his cheeks. He let out soft gasps and, as the spanking began to really hurt, a mantra of, “Ow, ow, ow! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I promise it won’t happen again, James!” Oswald was doing everything in his power to say what he thought the other man wanted to hear in hopes to stop the spanking as quickly as possible. From the first two spankings, Oswald knew well that he wasn’t going to get off Jim’s lap until the other man felt he was contrite.

 

"I'm going to make sure of that." There was no cruelty in Jim's voice, but he was deadly serious. He started over from the top as he continued speaking. "Taking off like that is not going to happen. We were all worried about you, but especially your mother."

 

"Ah! Ow!" Oswald stiffened, arching his back as Jim's hand made a second round on already tender flesh. Jim's words were not lost on him, however. "It won't! I...I never meant to worry anyone!" As he admitted this, he felt a pang of guilt surge through him as he remembered his mother's expression of disappointment and worry.

 

"What did you think might happen?" Jim asked, punctuating each word with a sharp smack. "That none of us would care? Or worry? That you could do whatever you wanted with no thought to how anyone else would feel?" There was a slight edge to his voice. He swatted a bit harder and faster, still not using as much force as he could.

 

Oswald's eyes widened at Jim's renewed efforts on his backside as he twisted and bucked, doing his best not to cry out too loudly as he sputtered, "I wasn't! I...I wasn't thinking!"

 

"Then I'm going to make sure you _do_ think next time." Jim paused, reaching out to pick up the brush, still keeping a tight hold of Oswald.

 

Feeling the other man shift and his hand relent, coupled with those words, Oswald whipped his head around to see Jim retrieve the brush. His mouth parted as a wave of terror ran up his spine. He quickly stammered, “No, no, no! James! You really don’t need that! Consider me well reminded!” Oswald began to squirm in his panic to evade the ominous tool by kicking his feet up to block and trying to pull his hands from being pinned behind his back; as he already felt quite sore and the thought of enduring that thing was distressing to say the least.

 

Jim paused, but not because he'd changed his mind. He kept hold of Oswald's wrists with one hand, while he pushed down on Oswald's legs and pinned them down with one of his over them. Deciding not to waste any time, and wanting to get this over with, Jim brought the brush down hard for the first time.

 

He had fought Jim, wriggling this way and that in what Oswald thought must be a ridiculous display, before Jim had managed to secure him once more, making all his struggles pointless. He whimpered in dismay, seeing Jim’s arm arch, and he let out a blood curdling scream when the heavy smack of the brush connected. He writhed as though he were on fire. “Oh! Ow, ow! Oh, God, that hurts!”

 

"I know it hurts," Jim said. "But I also know it won't cause you any lasting damage. Playing Maroni or Fish? That'll get you hurt worse than a spanking will cause. Maybe even a bullet in you."

 

Oswald’s legs kicked futilely; his ass trembled in anticipation as he let out little whimpers of dismay every time the brush came down. He couldn’t help but to think on Jim’s words. As bad as this was, being dead would be far worse, he knew.

 

Oswald wailed pitifully as he looked back now over his shoulder, unable not to see Jim’s handiwork. “I know! I’m not going to push my luck anymore! Please believe me!”

 

His bottom was quite red, splotchy in some areas, especially his sit spots, as it now showed both the marks of the other man’s firm hand on top of the oval shaped marks of the brush. Seeing the stark contrast against his alabaster skin and the little inconsequential wiggles his bottom made trying to evade further punishment reminded him once more of how he was being humbled greatly. This shame had him turning away once more, unable to face what Jim was doing to him any longer as fresh tears now streaked down his face to couple both his pain and humiliation.

 

This wasn't easy for Jim to do... and a big part of him knew that it shouldn't be. No matter the problems Oswald had caused him in the past, the other man still needed help and guidance. Jim hadn't been using as much force as he could have been, but he lessened the brush's strokes a small fraction, to allow Oswald to concentrate on his words. "I believe you mean that right now," he said quietly, "but you need to know that endangering yourself is only going to end with you right back here. Not because I'm looking to hurt you, but because the consequences have to be severe enough that you'll think twice before you do something that will get yourself killed."

 

If anyone else had done this to him, he would have felt a white hot rage, but deep down, Oswald believed Jim really did have his best interests at heart and as such, Oswald instead felt intense shame that the other man felt the need to go to such extremes. The thought of going through this again made him sob harder. "I won't! I'm sorry! Please! I swear to you I'm telling the truth!"

 

"I need to be sure this is something you will remember next time, since you've already ignored the past two spankings I gave you and continued to put yourself in danger." Jim began bringing the brush down on Oswald's sit spots and thighs - not very much force, but he knew he didn't need to use it too hard.

 

Feeling unable to control the situation in any way, Oswald just went limp, wailing his discomfort as Jim continued to punish him quite thoroughly. He cried for the pain, but he also cried for the loss. It wasn't worth all this just to attempt to gain notoriety in the underworld. Besides, Jim was right, as much as he truly hated to admit it; this was a horribly dangerous game he was playing and while playing it when only risking his own life was his prerogative, if his mother were to get hurt because of his ambition, it would kill him.

 

To not have considered this more made him feel quite selfish. As these feelings of guilt surged through him, he cried out woefully, "I'm so sorry! I... promise to be better!"

 

Seeing that Oswald had been brought to the point he needed to... where he wasn't fighting the punishment... Jim stopped the spanking, putting the brush to one side and placing a hand on Oswald's back, rubbing gently. "I know it's not going to be perfect straight away. I'm not expecting that. But I _do_ expect you to try."

 

Oswald couldn't respond right away, only nodding as he continued to cry his anguish. He couldn't help but look back once more at his very sore bottom. It had angry welts that he was more than sure would be a deterrent as Jim had sought to give as well as an uncomfortable reminder any time he tried to sit for the next few days. He pouted as he thought about that. Working to pull himself together, Oswald hitched, wiping at his eyes. "I... I will," he replied meekly.

 

"Good. You have three people here who don't want anything to happen to you, Oswald," Jim said. "Tomorrow, we'll sit down and discuss how to deal with what's happened so far."

 

Oswald warbled, "Okay..." He was afraid to say much more without breaking down into further sobs. He didn't want to deal with this situation any further, whether tonight or the next day, due to the level of embarrassment he felt, but he knew he didn't really have any say in the matter now.

 

Jim carefully replaced Oswald's pants and underwear and then helped the other man up, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He didn't speak, choosing to let Oswald calm down in his own time.

 

Oswald wasn't used to being so distraught from any kind of previous beating... even the one before he was sentenced to die by Fish. He supposed it was the sentiment behind this correction that dug deeper and in so doing, cut to his core. He was even less accustomed to comfort from anyone that wasn't his mother, but even stil,l he welcomed the open embrace as a relief in some fashion that the punishment was over and that he had passed that hurdle of their encounter that he'd spent so long dreading.

 

As they sat on the bed side by side now, Oswald felt acutely aware of the state he was in and flushed crimson, wiping furiously at his eyes to dry the still falling tears. His lip quivered as the overwhelming feelings of shame once more washed over him. He looked down at his feet as he mumbled, "I can't face her right now... I know she's going to want to come see me... but I can't... I don't want her to see me like this." His mother, he was sure, was wearing a hole in the carpet, just waiting to be given the green light to come comfort him, and the thought of it made him increasingly red in the face.

 

Jim squeezed Oswald's shoulders gently, taking the time to gather his thoughts before speaking. "I understand your reluctance, but although you think it will be embarrassing, I think it might actually help you feel better to let her 'mother' you..."

 

He frowned. He did normally like when she doted on him, but what he didn't want to admit was that he was afraid to see her disapproval of his current actions now that everything he'd been up to had come to light. Oswald swallowed hard. "I just need a little time... to be alone."

 

Jim nodded, able to understand how Oswald felt. "I'll get you some water to drink," he said. "It might help you feel better." He moved his arm from around Oswald's shoulders, going slowly in case the other man still needed comfort and was reluctant to admit it.

 

Oswald gave a small nod, his voice more controlled now, but barely above a whisper. "Thanks. I would like that."

 

Jim didn't voice an acknowledgement, instead standing and leaving the bedroom, heading through to the kitchen so that he could pour out a glass of water for Oswald.

 

Oswald watched as Jim left and he sighed tiredly. He felt numb from the experience, but in some fashion, the truth coming out was also freeing; as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He wasn’t fully in the clear, but there was some level of absolution from having been punished that he couldn’t quite wrap his head around. It wasn’t that he enjoyed Jim punishing him, not in the slightest! But that impression of all was now forgiven and they could move forward was a welcome sentiment.


	10. Moving Forward

** A Change in Plans **

** Chapter Ten - Moving Forward **

 

The two women had remained in Gertrude’s room and Barbara had worked to reassure Mrs. Cobblepot that no matter what she heard, Jim wouldn’t go too far with Oswald, even though it sounded rather bad from afar.

 

True to Barbara’s words, Oswald’s squalls of pain were heard quite well down the hallway and Gertrude cringed noticeably. “Oh, I cannot stand to hear my boy cry!”

 

Barbara stepped next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I know it might be hard to hear this, Gertrude, but the path Oswald is walking now is going to lead him into an early grave. Jim has tried speaking to him without much effect, so now Oswald has forced his hand to get him to understand the gravity of his circumstances. Trust me when I say you’d rather he go through this than be discovered by those people that really want to hurt him.”

 

Gertrude sighed as she nodded. “Yes; what you say is true. Oswald never gave me much reason to have to actually punish him in such a way, but now I feel like for so long, I never saw what was really right in front of my face.” She shook her head. “You must think me a very bad mother.” Gertrude turned back to Barbara, her eyes pricked with tears.

 

Barbara shook her head. “Of course I don’t! All mothers want to believe the best of their children and I’m sure being so close to your son would make it hard to see or want to believe he could be doing something you couldn’t fathom him doing.”

 

She smiled weakly at Barbara. “I think you and the detective are good people. I don’t think I could have ever brought myself to take Oswald to the level you have. He has only been with you a couple days and I already see a marked improvement from just being in your company.” She paused a moment, listening to the sounds of distress Oswald was making as she took a deep breath to steady herself. “It is hard for me not to run to him now as I hear him crying out in pain, but I want you to know I trust the both of you and I will support you as much as I can to help get Oswald to see you are trying to help him and not hurt him.”

 

All went quiet for a few minutes, before Gertrude and Barbara heard the door down the hall open and close. Gertrude paused in her moving about to look back at Barbara, as if to get some sense of direction.

 

For her part, Barbara didn’t know what to say, opening the door and peering out to see Jim walking towards the kitchen. She held out a hand to halt Gertrude from leaving. “I’ll go talk to Jim and see how everything went.”

 

Gertrude nodded eagerly, wanting to know herself.

 

Barbara met Jim at the refrigerator as ice clinked into a cup he held. “Did everything… go okay?”

 

Jim smiled at Barbara, though the long day was beginning to take its toll and he knew that she'd see it. "I don't know how 'okay' things are. I suspect it's going to be a long road for things to change. I do feel Oswald's willing to try... at least for now." He shrugged. "He wants to be alone for a while. I thought I'd take him some water and then give him a bit of space. He said he doesn't want his mother to see him like that."

 

Barbara moved closer to Jim, placing a hand on the small of his back and rubbing up and down the length of his spine in a comforting gesture. “Well, if it’s any consolation, Gertrude says she’ll stand behind you in your decisions with Oswald and try to get him to see you’re trying to help him.” She sighed, thinking on what Jim had said. “Although I don’t know how well she’s going to take that news…”

 

"I don't think it will last for long... just enough for him to collect himself and try to let go of the embarrassment," Jim said, relaxing into Barbara's touch. "I can talk to his mother, if that's easier."

 

Barbara considered Jim's words before stating, "It might be good if you spoke to her. I could bring the water to Oswald and see if maybe I can get him to be a little less squeamish to see her... unless you don't think it's a good idea?"

 

"I think he needs gentle encouragement right now," Jim said. "But if you want to take him the water... I know he likes you. He'd be more likely to listen to you."

 

Barbara gave Jim a small smile, taking the glass from him. “I will do my best to get through to him. This whole thing is kind of crazy, but somehow, it feels right… I don’t know. It’s hard to tell whether or not we can help Oswald, but I guess I feel invested. Like if we try hard enough, we will eventually reach him. Do you think that’s too hopeful or foolish?”

 

"If I didn't think there'd be any chance of reaching Oswald, we'd just be wasting our time doing this," Jim said. "But I don't expect it'll be easy. Having his mother's support might help, though."

 

Barbara nodded her agreement. "I think having her on our side will make a big difference, since the two are obviously close and he seems to take stock in her opinion. I guess only time will really tell." She gave Jim one last smile before walking towards Oswald's room.

 

Jim smiled at Barbara and then walked over to the door to Gertrude's room. He knocked lightly on the door, not wanting to just open it and barge in on the woman.

 

Gertrude opened the door as if she'd been standing right next to it the whole time. She seemed surprised that Barbara wasn't with Jim and peeked around him before opening the door fully. She smiled wearily. "Hello, detective Gordon; is everything okay with Oswald?"

 

Jim nodded, giving the woman a reassuring smile. "Barbara took some water to him. He's feeling a bit embarrassed right now and did want some space. I think Barbara's going to try talking to him."

 

She seemed a bit disappointed. "Oh. I see." She stepped back to give Jim room to enter. Gertrude took a moment before continuing, "...What you're doing... Oswald may not appreciate it, but as his mother, if you are able to get through to him, I will be forever grateful to you."

 

Jim stepped into the room. "I am trying to get through to him, but I suspect it will take some more work," he said. "Oswald has been used to doing this kind of thing for quite a long time now."

 

Gertrude frowned, looking into the distance as she considered Jim's words. "A long time... yes, Oswald can be so hard to convince." Turning back to face Jim fully, she asked in all sincerity, "What can I do to help?"

 

Jim thought seriously about that for a moment or two before speaking. "It'll help for Oswald to know you support what I'm doing. And no matter how hard it is, it won't help him if you let him get away with anything... or succeed in manipulating you to go easier on him."

 

Gertrude blushed. "I admit that you know me too well already, James. I regret I have been too lenient on him." She grimaced now. "Oswald is a very bright boy and I see now that he has been up to mischief. I will not be so gullible this time, I promise you; and you can be sure that I do support you and he will know that full well."

 

Jim nodded, giving her a smile. "I do appreciate that, thank you. I know it will be hard, but I think it will ultimately be good for Oswald to know he can't get away with things any longer."

 

Gertrude also nodded. "Yes, you are very right. He is not going to be happy with us, but he will come to understand this behavior cannot be tolerated."

 

"I'm sure he will," Jim said. "Even if it does take a little while."

 

She sat down on her bed. "Oswald will see reason, I just know it." She smiled warmly at Jim, but the stress of the evening had definitely taken its toll and the bags under Gertrude's eyes were a testament to how she felt.

 

"After you see Oswald, perhaps you should have a warm drink and retire for the evening... I think all of us should," Jim added, aware that the rest of them were probably as tired and stressed as Gertrude was.

 

Gertrude took in a deep breath, nodding. “That might be nice; it is getting very late.” She looked at the door and then back to Jim. "Do you think it’s alright go see him now?”

 

"I'll go and see how he's feeling... and if he's up to talking," Jim said with a slight smile, walking towards the door and stepping out into the hallway, heading towards Oswald's room so he could check on the other man.

 

***

 

Barbara knocked lightly on Oswald’s door frame.

 

Oswald had been lost in thought, still sitting on the bed where Jim had left him, his eyes downcast, staring into his hands that lay limply in his lap. At the sound of the soft knock, his red-rimmed eyes rose to meet her. His face flushed as he lowered his eyes once more, this time in shame. He had been expecting Jim and was a bit taken off guard to see Barbara standing there. “Uh, hello, Barbara…” he stammered, before clearing his throat.

 

“I asked Jim if I could bring you your water; do you mind if I come in?” Barbara asked.

 

Oswald shrugged as he fiddled with a string in the seam of his pants. “Don’t think I could stop you… it is your place after all,” he murmured.

 

She strode over to the bed, placing the water in front of Oswald, and he gingerly took it from her, whispering a small, “Thanks.”

 

Barbara looked him over and he looked so melancholy that she wanted to give him a hug, but she wasn’t sure the gesture would be welcome, so instead, she sat next to him and patted his knee. “Want to talk?”

 

Oswald’s eyes had drifted to her hand now and he took in a deep breath. Did he want to talk about it? On some level, he did want to share the comfort Barbara was offering; and on another, it made him feel very weak. Tears welled in his eyes once more and he sniffed, wiping them away as he flushed an even deeper red. “I’m okay,” he warbled.

 

Seeing Oswald working so hard to hold back his emotions and seemingly causing the opposite reaction made Barbara’s heart break as she gave his knee a small squeeze. “You know, it’s okay to cry… I can’t say I fully understand what you’re going through, Oswald, but I do know that it can’t be easy to deal with. You’ve had a lot of upheavals in your life recently and as unpleasant as what Jim just did to you, you do know deep down he isn’t doing it to hurt you, right?”

 

Oswald frowned, thinking that Jim had a funny way of demonstrating he cared about his wellbeing, but Barbara’s words rang true; he did know that Jim wasn’t being a sadistic bully, even if it would be an easy light to paint him in, considering how much his ass still stung right now. He didn’t vocalize a response, choosing to just nod affirmation.

 

Barbara continued, “It’s going to get better, Oswald; just hang in there, okay.”

 

Oswald looked wistfully at her. “Better? Hardly. Everything I worked so hard to attain has been flushed down the toilet. I could have been somebody… now I feel like I’m destined to be a nobody.” He huffed as he took a drink from his glass and stared off straight ahead, clearly still feeling more than a little perturbed about his current situation.

 

“A nobody, Oswald?” Barbara questioned in a disbelieving tone and Oswald turned towards her with a grimace, as if to imply she couldn’t fathom the depths he had fallen. His pout made her chuckle. “So you really think dealings with the mob are going to end well? From your track record with them so far, you’re lucky to still be alive.”

 

Oswald wrinkled his nose at the reminder of his current failures. “Well, I could have built lasting connections if I were able to…”

 

Barbara cut him off. “I’m sure you could have, Oswald, but the real question is; is that person you’re working so hard to become really anyone you can look up to as someone that will make you feel good about yourself when all is said and done?”

 

Oswald’s mouth was open to rebut her statement, but her words caught him by surprise. Did he look up to people like Fish and Maroni? He thought he had. Sure, he aspired to be them in the way of holding power and money, but did he think they felt good about the people they were? Probably not. He imagined they likely had to sleep with one eye open in their line of work. His jaw tightened. “You wouldn’t understand.”

 

Barbara sat up straight and raised an eyebrow. “Try me.”

 

Oswald sighed as he commented, in an almost condescending fashion, “In Gotham, you have to be connected in order to have any real respect… and the people running this city are corrupt, so it stands to reason that, in order to have any real standing in this city, one has to play the game by their rules.”

 

Barbara frowned, giving Oswald a look of displeasure. “You may think that’s true, Oswald, but things change. Besides, there is more out there than just Gotham. This city has its issues, but just because you live among roaches doesn’t mean you have to become one.”

 

Oswald blanched, not expecting Barbara to compare his aspirations to being akin to a roach, “Well, I… I didn’t mean that… of course there are limits to the rules.” Although he wasn’t sure where that limit was for himself, or what he would be willing to do to move up along the way.

 

Seeing Oswald lost in thought again, Barbara commented, “Your mother is right, you know.”

 

This caught Oswald’s full attention as he looked back to her now curiously and Barbara continued, “You’re a smart fellow, Oswald, but what you seem to lack is wisdom.”

 

Oswald glowered now, but said nothing as she continued, “You’ve got a lot of potential to do a lot of good. I know Jim is trying to straighten out this city and I think if you applied yourself, without putting yourself in danger, you could really help him do that. Just think, if you did, you’d change the rules of the game.”

 

Oswald had to give her a wry smile now; it was a sweet thought, even if he did think it likely ludicrous to accomplish. But Jim had made a lot of waves already in Gotham and the thought of actually helping Jim bring down Fish did sound quite appealing. He would be more than pleased to see her thrown in jail to rot and to have had a hand in doing so. That would make him feel good about himself at the end of the day, “Maybe you’re right, Barbara.”

 

Barbara smiled. “In the meantime, I was thinking that you really liked my art gallery. Maybe when things calm down a little bit, you can travel with me to other galleries to help me pick out new pieces… I’m always looking for good deals on art to add to my collection.”

 

Oswald genuinely smiled at her now. “I think I would like that.”

 

Jim cleared his throat and the two looked up to see him in the doorframe.

 

Jim smiled at both of them, relieved to see that Barbara and Oswald both seemed to be engaged in conversation. "It is getting late. It'll be a good idea to turn in soon," he said, before continuing to Oswald, "Your mother is worried about you. Are you up to talking to her, even if it's only for a little while?"

 

Oswald ducked his head. He really didn't want to see her at the moment, but he knew she would worry herself sick of he didn't, so he sighed. "Yeah, you can tell her to come see me... I'm as ready to face her as I'm ever going to be."

 

Barbara patted Oswald's knee once more before rising. "She just wants to make sure you're alright."

 

Oswald nodded. "I know. She can be a bit overbearing sometimes."

 

"It's been a long day for everyone," Jim said, trying to help Oswald to feel better by suggesting that his mother would probably turn in soon... without actually stating that. He gave the other man a reassuring smile and then walked back to let Gertrude know it was all right to go and see her son.

 

Gertrude seemed to brighten when Jim stated that Oswald was now willing to see her. She thanked him, giving him a tight hug, before scurrying down the hall to see him.

 

Barbara had been leaving Oswald's room and raised an eyebrow at Jim, giving him a big smile as the older woman hugged him and the poor man seemed caught in indecision on how to react before the woman was hurrying down the hall towards her son.

 

Walking to Jim, she gave him a kiss, smiling up at him lovingly. "I'm one lucky gal to have a man with such a big heart."

 

Jim gave a slight smile and wrapped his arms around Barbara. "I'll try not to bring in any more strays," he promised. "Thank you for being so supportive. I'm not sure I'd be able to do any of this without you."

 

She laid her head on his chest. "You're doing all the grunt work, the least I can do is help by showing my support." Barbara glanced at her watch. "It's already past midnight... let's get some sleep."

 

Jim nodded. "Good idea." He slid his arm around Barbara's waist and headed back through to their bedroom, holding back a yawn.

 

***

 

Gertrude couldn’t help rushing to her son to wrap him in a hug. “Oh, Oswald! I hated to hear you screaming out like that!”

 

Oswald cringed inwardly. He had hoped that the flat would have been a bit more sound proof, but now he was assured it most definitely wasn’t. Not wanting to remain on the subject of him getting a spanking for any length of time, Oswald moved to change the subject quickly. “It’s done now, so let’s not dwell on the past, mother. I’m sure you’re quite tired, so now that your mind has been set at ease, you can retire and sleep soundly.”

 

Gertrude stood back, unwrapping her arms from him and taking Oswald’s face in her hands as she pouted at her son. “Don’t you worry about me. I will be fine. It is you that I worry for.”

 

Oswald sighed, his eyes dropping from her concerned gaze. “I’m okay, mother. Really.”

 

She jerked his chin, forcing his eyes back to meet hers. “No. You are not okay. You have been lying to me, Oswald. Your own mother.” Her eyes reflected deep hurt.

 

Oswald’s expression showed the guilt he felt to have her say that to him. “I… I didn’t exactly lie… I…”

 

Gertrude’s demeanor turned stern. “No. You will not do this to me any longer, Oswald. I don’t want to hear half-truths from you. No more lies.”

 

Oswald paused, looking wounded, before he continued, “I didn’t mean to keep you in the dark, mother. I… I just thought if you knew…” He trailed off, unsure how to address his current plight.

 

She gave him a look of pity as fresh tears welled in his eyes. “Oh, Oswald, I am your mother and I will always love you.” She leaned down to kiss him several times on his temple.

 

The show of affection and the overpowering feelings of his guilt made Oswald hitch as he clutched a trembling hand to the side of her face to embrace her in a hug. “I’m so sorry, mother,” Oswald choked.

 

Gertrude hugged him tight, feeling about to cry herself, but knowing her son needed her to be strong for him at this moment. “Shh. No, no, no,” she cooed as she hugged him back tightly, before sitting and guiding Oswald to lay his head in her lap.

 

This was a familiar affection his mother had used to comfort him throughout his childhood when Oswald had come home with many a fat lip, dirty from being beaten by bullies or a particularly bad day where he felt as lost as he did right now. Oswald didn’t resist her as he scooted onto the bed to lie in a semi fetal position, his arm wrapped around her knees like a lifeline, as she ran her hand lovingly through his hair and he cried silently.

 

Gertrude spoke gently as she continued to caress her son. “My dear, sweet boy. So sensitive and for this I love you all the more. This path you have been walking is no good. Please, Oswald, I know you do not want to follow the detective, but I could not bear to lose you to these bad people!” Her voice cracked as she leaned down to clasp him tightly. “Please tell me that you will listen to James and do your best to stay out of trouble.”

 

Oswald sniffled. “I promise, mother. I won’t worry you anymore.” It broke his heart to hear his mother so distraught and the thought of her having to endure his death and how that would affect her hit him like a bus. He really was being selfish, he thought absently. Oswald sat up now, taking Gertrude’s face in his hands as he said, with new resolve, “I’m going to do better, mother. I never wanted to see you like this… I will make you proud of me.”

 

Gertrude smiled through tears of her own, as she had been crying too. “I know you will.” She squeezed his wrist fondly. “You always make me proud.”

 

Oswald smiled gratefully, letting out a small, nervous laugh as he pulled her in to peck her on the lips. “Thank you for always being there for me, mother.”

 

Gertrude tilted her head. “Oh, Oswald.” She pulled him into another hug. They stayed that way for a long moment before Gertrude rose.

 

Oswald rose as well and Gertrude pulled back his sheets and fluffed his pillow. She held the sheets up and he climbed in, pausing stiffly as he adjusted himself to lay on his side versus his back. His bottom was still quite sore from his bout with Jim.

 

Gertrude gave him a sympathetic understanding look. “Oh, my poor Oswald.”

 

Oswald cringed, but said nothing as he continued letting her tuck him in as he just watched her, wondering how he had been so lucky to have a mother that loved him so completely.

 

She leaned down to give him one more doting kiss once she had finished tucking him in to her satisfaction. “You sleep now. All will be better in the morning, you will see.”

 

Oswald gave her a nod, stating in a small voice, “Good night, mother. I love you.”

 

She touched his cheek tenderly. “I love you too. Sleep well, my son.” With that said, she turned, heading out of the room, stopping momentarily to turn out his light. Her eyes lingered on him a moment longer, before she finally closed the door softly and the the sound of her feet could be heard creaking down the hall as Oswald sighed, feeling somehow content now. He was quite emotionally and physically spent and it was not long before he let himself drift into a dreamless sleep.


	11. Bumps in The Road

** A Change in Plans **

** Chapter Eleven - Bumps in The Road **

 

Despite the late night, Jim still woke up fairly early. He began to get dressed, wondering if he was going to have to deal with Oswald pushing at the boundaries again. Well, that was more than likely... the only real question was probably _when_ he was going to start pushing again.

 

***

 

Oswald had awoken to the sounds of people moving about in the main living area and groaned as he rolled over and the ache in his backside made itself known once more. This was far worse than the last two times and his face burned to think that there were two other times to recall. He figured, by now, he would have somehow grown accustomed to the uncomfortable feeling enough to learn to ignore it, but Oswald found this treatment seemed to etch into his memory further as one of the most humbling experiences in his young life.

 

Oswald frowned as he considered the fact that Jim still planned to make him return the money. He’d spent fifty of it on the cab and that would undoubtedly need replacing. He wondered if he could convince Jim to just return the money on his own; it was worth a shot, as his stomach churned at the thought of facing Levant again under such circumstances. He pulled the covers more tautly over himself, burying his head and his shame deep within the covers. The only control he seemed to have currently was when he started this sure to be miserable day, he thought grumpily, so getting out of bed to face the day would be prolonged as much as he could help it.

 

Barbara rose with Jim and Gertrude seemed to have got little sleep, coming out as soon as she’d heard movement in the house. Jim had moved to do his morning sit-ups before jumping in the shower and Barbara had stumbled sleepily into the kitchen. Gertrude wished her a good morning and the two, still rather tired, shared minor pleasantries as Barbara put a pot of coffee on. She saw the supplies they had bought for breakfast the night before as she’d grabbed the milk from the refrigerator, remarking off-handedly, “I gather Oswald won’t be up to making breakfast this morning.” Of course, upon learning that Oswald had planned to make one of her specialties, Gertrude was more than happy to stand in to make the strawberry shortcake French toast. Barbara could tell that having a purpose in the house seemed to put the older woman at ease, so she gave her a small tour of the kitchen and Gertrude readily got to work, while Barbara sat with her coffee at the kitchen table.

 

Jim came out of the shower to the smell of the food and Barbara, seeing him coming, got up to grab him a fresh cup of coffee. The two had a routine most mornings and she smiled tiredly at him as she met him at the table. Barbara spoke softly now, in order not to distract Gertrude from the task that seemed to be setting her at ease in her new environment. “You’re not dressed for work.” Barbara noted that Jim had chosen to don a simple polo and slacks. “Were you planning on staying home today, or going in a little late?”

 

"I thought I might go in a little late," Jim replied. "It was a long night, so I figured taking an extra couple of hours might be a good idea." He smiled at Barbara, leaning in to give her a quick kiss, before he took his seat at the table, drinking some of his coffee.

 

She smiled at him, taking a sip of her coffee. "You know, they can miss you for one day."

 

"I know they can... but I don't feel right when I don't go in," Jim admitted. Mostly because he knew the other officers were so easily manipulated.

 

Barbara nodded, “I suppose I should wake Oswald? Gertrude is busy in the kitchen making the meal he’d planned to make, and I’d hate to see him miss out on it.”

 

"I could wake him, if you'd prefer," Jim offered. "I know it's been a long weekend for you as well."

 

“It doesn’t matter to me, but go ahead… I’ll help Gertrude by getting the table set,” she replied.

 

Jim nodded, leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek before he went through to knock on the door of Oswald's room,

 

Oswald heard the knock, but not wishing to face any of them at the moment, pretended not to hear it, pulling his covers more tightly over himself, as if he could hide within them.

 

Jim considered leaving the other man alone, since he imagined that Oswald wanted to be alone. Since he didn't feel that was the best, though, he opened the door and stepped into the room.

 

Oswald heard the door open and lay as still as he could to hopefully make whomever had entered think he was still asleep and go away to leave him to wallow in his self-pity.

 

"Oswald... your mother's making breakfast." Jim stepped over to the bed, placing his hand on the other man's shoulder. "You should get up and come through to join us."

 

Frowning Oswald simmered a moment before responding through the sheets, “I’m not really hungry. I think I’ll pass.”

 

"You need to eat something," Jim said firmly. "Even if you come straight back here after... I think you'll feel better to come through for a few minutes, at least. And your mother's making the breakfast you mentioned," he added.

 

Sighing, Oswald responded, “Fine. I’ll come out in a minute.” He figured, as long as he was allowed to sulk back to his room afterward, it wouldn’t hurt to come out for breakfast. Oswald didn’t really want to pass on that particular breakfast, either, as it was always one of his favorites.

 

Jim nodded. "I'll let your mother and Barbara know you'll be coming through for breakfast." He turned to leave the room, not entirely sure that Oswald wouldn't pull the blankets up over his head and go back to sleep.

 

When Oswald heard Jim’s footsteps moving down the hall, he peeked his head out from the blankets and, after a moment longer, rolled out of bed to shuffle down the hall, not far behind Jim.

 

Barbara saw Jim and, before she could ask, saw Oswald emerge from behind him. She smiled at Jim and then shifted her gaze to Oswald. “Good morning, Oswald.”

 

For his part, Oswald gave her a meek smile, only glancing at her a moment and giving a not overly enthusiastic, “Good morning,” before shifting his gaze to the seat he’d used the majority of the time he’d spent here and moving to gingerly sit.

 

Gertrude, of course, took a moment to scurry over and give her son a kiss on the head, hugging his head to her chest. “Oswald, my boy, I will have something tasty for you in a few moments!”

 

Oswald still looked down at the table, but responded with an almost melancholy tone. “Thank you, mother. It smells wonderful.”

 

Jim headed over to pour out a drink, addressing Oswald. "Would you like coffee? Or juice? Or something else?" He noticed Oswald's tone, but hoped that if he didn't comment on it, the other man might respond to attempts to draw him into conversation.

 

Oswald thought about Jim's question a moment before remarking flatly, "An ice water will be sufficient, thank you."

 

Barbara gave Jim a knowing look and a smirk that said it was going to be a fun morning as she went back to her coffee.

 

Gertrude had hurried back in to the kitchen before her food had a chance to burn. "Everything will be done in a few minutes, everyone."

 

Jim held back a sigh as he filled a glass with ice and water and placed it in front of Oswald. He considered suggesting that Oswald try to make the best of the situation... but he was reasonably sure the other man wouldn't appreciate him saying that in front of his mother and Barbara.

 

As Jim brought Oswald his ice water, Gertrude was finishing up glazing the strawberry shortcake French toast. As he sat next to Barbara, Gertrude brought Jim his plate first, setting it down in front of his coffee as she remarked casually, patting him on the shoulder, “I was always taught to feed the man of the house first.” She beamed as she headed back to the kitchen, fetching both Oswald’s and Barbara’s plate, setting down Barbara’s plate next and then Oswald’s.

 

Throughout, Oswald watched through downcast lashes, a frown growing on his face at the fact that he wasn’t getting served first as was par normal with his mother. He was slightly ruffled that his status had apparently seemed to have dropped a few notches in his mother’s eyes, but he said nothing, instead gripping his utensils a bit tighter before taking a bite of his breakfast.

 

Gertrude came to sit next to Oswald, peering around the table as she waited for Jim and Barbara to taste their plates to see what they thought.

 

Jim smiled and thanked Gertrude, though he was careful not to make a big deal about it, since he could see the frown on Oswald's face. He did wait until everyone else had theirs before he took the first mouthful, chewing and swallowing before giving an appreciative smile. "This is very good."

 

Barbara was quick to add praise as well and Gertrude beamed over the praise, before looking to Oswald, who was quietly eating his food. “Do you like it, Oswald?” she questioned worriedly.

 

Oswald gave her a small nod, lifting his eyes for once to give her assurance. “It’s good, mother; It’s always good.”

 

Gertrude relaxed to see Oswald acknowledge her. He wasn’t often so melancholy and it vexed her to see him so. Choosing to give him some space, she turned her attention to her food as everyone quietly ate.

 

Jim waited until they'd finished breakfast before he addressed Oswald. "Where do you have the money you took?" he asked, his voice calm... but still no-nonsense.

 

Oswald's eyes lifted to meet Jim's as he grumbled, "Back at mother's, where you interrupted my bath. I left it in my suit pants pocket. Do you plan on returning it to Levant? He would likely be more congenial if it came from you." Oswald left out the detail that he'd spent fifty dollars of it already.

 

"I think I'd like to make sure you accompany me most of the way, even if you stay in the car where I can see you," Jim said. "But we can both go to your mother's and collect the money... however much of it is left," he added; mainly to see Oswald's expression. He suspected that the other man had spent some of it... but couldn't say for sure.

 

Oswald had ducked his head as Jim talked, feeling acutely ashamed as he felt both Barbara and his mother both watching him as they hung off of every word Jim said to him. He took a moment of silence, staring at his plate with a clenched jaw, before responding quickly, as he rose with his plate, “I’ll get a shower and we can head out shortly.” Not waiting for a reply, Oswald moved quickly then to the sink, dropping his dishes unceremoniously in the sink and hobbling with purpose past the group that still sat at the table, watching him as he continued past them and back to his room. He slammed his door as he made his way to where he’d put a change of clothes, fuming as he grabbed what he planned to wear.

 

There had been so much more he’d wanted to say, but for some reason, he felt as though speaking his mind or disagreeing with Jim would only prove further how much control the man had over him now. He took in a deep breath as he saw the pendulum sitting on top of his dresser, a reminder of the kind gesture Jim had made the day before. The man must have placed it on his dresser before they’d left for the museum the night before. Oswald blushed, suddenly feeling like a jerk. He was mystified as all these different emotions roiled around inside of him, raging for dominance. On one hand, he wanted to be his own man and prove himself, but on another, he really did want Jim’s approval; especially now that his mother seemed so thoroughly on his side. Deep down, Oswald knew that the reason he fought half-heartedly was the fact he felt guilt for the things he’d done and didn’t like the person he was becoming; mostly, he didn’t want to admit he didn’t have the willpower to change without help.

 

Hearing the door slam, Gertrude looked unsure if she should say something, or follow Oswald to check on him, but she relented to leave Oswald to sort out his obvious irritation on his own. Instead, she turned to Jim, giving him a sad look that expressed her own embarrassment over Oswald’s behavior. “He’s not usually so short… He’s probably just still tired,” she excused lamely, before taking her cup of coffee in her hands and sipping carefully.

 

"I suspect he's also having a rough time of it," Jim commented, draining the rest of his coffee. He began clearing the rest of the plates and utensils, carrying them over to the sink so that he could clean up. "I'll talk to him while we're going back to your apartment," he said to Gertrude, before running the water.

 

Gertrude had stood as Jim moved the plates to the kitchen, looking rather at a loss for what to do before she nodded. “Yes; thank you, detective. I think that sounds like a good idea.”

 

Sensing Gertrude’s unease, Barbara chimed in, “While the boys are gone, I was thinking of going out to the market to pick up some more groceries. It’d be great if you felt like coming along. You could help me with some meal ideas for the next few days, since our family has grown a bit.”

 

Being considered an extended part of the family seemed to please the older woman, as she smiled back at Barbara. “That sounds nice. I do so love to cook for a gathering.”

 

Barbara returned the smile. “Well then, it’s settled. After the boys head out, we can get ready and go to town ourselves. If you’re up to it, we could always head down to the square and browse the flea market; and maybe make a day of it and get our nails and hair done too.”

 

Gertrude nodded, brightening at the invitation. “It has been ages since I have had a girl’s day out.” She gave a small laugh at the thought of her younger years. She sobered, though, as she thought back to the current situation. “But do you think Oswald will be okay here by himself without anyone here? He is so angry… maybe we should wait for the girl’s day out until he is feeling better, so we can cheer him up.”

 

Barbara paused, feeling a bit careless for forgetting about Oswald being left at the house and whether it would be wise, considering the past couple days and Jim heading in to work later, leaving no one to keep an eye on Oswald. She seemed at a loss for words, looking to Jim for advice.

 

Jim looked a bit thoughtful and then spoke. "After I take Oswald to pick up the money, I can either take the day off work to spend with him... or take him into the station with me if it's necessary."

 

Barbara looked askance. “Are you sure? I know you said you planned to head in to work in a few hours. I don’t want to throw your whole day off so we can gallivant through the city.”

 

"It isn't a problem," Jim replied. "I need to take Oswald to return that money in any case. You two have fun." He smiled.

 

Barbara smiled and visibly relaxed. Gertrude also seemed pleased that Jim was more than willing to keep Oswald from being all alone for the remainder of the day while they were out, so the two women went about finalizing plans before going their separate ways to begin readying themselves for their day out.

 

Oswald emerged, showered and dressed, twenty minutes later, looking about the living room for the women, only noticing Jim sitting on the couch with his paper. He sighed. “Well, I suppose we should get this over with.”

 

Jim put the paper to one side and stood up. "Is there anything I need to know?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "It's better that you tell me now."

 

Oswald found he hesitated now. Just days ago, he would have smoothly told a lie to assure the other man that there was in fact nothing he needed to know without worry of provocation. Things had changed now and Jim’s words elicited a pang of dread at the thought of telling the man a lie now, in the likelihood it would lead to another trip over Jim’s knee. Instead, Oswald decided to play dumb, figuring omitting was far better than lying. He gave a small shrug, answering innocently, “Need to know? We discussed everything you asked about and then some. What more is there to know?” He didn’t plan to face Levant, since Jim had mentioned he could stay in the car, so he figured, for all the embarrassment Jim had caused him, letting him deal with Levant if there was a discrepancy would be more than a fair trade for the pain he’d had to endure emotionally and physically at the other man’s hands.

 

"I might not know exactly how much money you were given, but I have no doubt Levant does," Jim said. "If there's any missing, you're going to want me to know about it beforehand, so I can handle it."

 

Jim must have read some level of guilt on his face, Oswald assumed, and decided he wasn’t willing to push the man’s limits any further than he’d found he could, in light of what consequences could follow if Jim felt he’d been lied to. “Well… it may be the slightest bit lighter than it was. I paid for the cab I took back home and gave a generous tip… fifty dollars light, to be exact.” Oswald blushed a bit to admit so readily to Jim this fact, as if the man was squeezing him dry without even trying.

 

Jim sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "That's all?" He focused on Oswald, his expression serious. "There isn't anything else I need to know?" He was fairly certain that Oswald had told him everything... but he needed to be sure.

 

Oswald frowned as he lowered his head, looking at the ground and giving a small nod. "You didn't exactly give me any time to spend any more of it." He hated the way Jim was grilling him for information, but Oswald supposed the recent rash of incidents the two had gone through in such a short time had the other man wary of his motives.

 

There was still the money he'd stashed from robbing Maroni, but that wasn't any of Jim's business and Oswald planned to keep that to himself until this whole situation cooled down. At least he had something from all this mess he'd managed to land himself in to fall back on after stepping away from his original grand scheme. He had told his mother that he would try to work with Jim and as much as it pained Oswald to walk away from his ambitions, he was going to do his best to make her proud, because the thought of seeing her cry again made him soul sick.

 

Jim nodded. "All right. I'll believe you. But you need to keep in mind that it's always going to be better to be honest with me. Not only will it mean you'll be in less trouble with me... but I can't protect you if I don't have all the information and you won't work with me."

 

Oswald swallowed hard as he nodded once more, speaking demurely. "I'm trying... I can't say this upset in my life is an easy adjustment, but I promised mother that I'd make a solid effort to change on her behalf." He added with a pout, "Even if it does make me miserable."

 

"I'm sure you do feel miserable right now," Jim said. "But going on with the path you're on is only going to get you in a worse situation, quite apart from how your mother feels about it."

 

Jim was right, but it was still hard to admit, especially under such duress as he'd endured to make such a realization. Oswald still wasn't satisfied with this choice, but he made amends that he would learn to adapt. He gave Jim a forlorn look of defeat. "I know. I get it... even if a bit reluctantly." As he said this, Oswald moved to the door, opening it for Jim. "I'm ready if you are."

 

Oswald watched Jim now, wondering how the other man must see him; he was unsure what regard Jim held him in any more, but some small part of him hoped that their relationship had a chance at being repaired well enough, because even after everything Jim had put him through, Oswald desperately wanted a real friend; and he knew, if he did win Jim as a friend, that he would always be a true one.

 

Jim stepped over to the door, giving Oswald a reassuring smile before he stepped through it. "If it's worth anything... I think you can learn to make the right choices." He waited for Oswald to leave the apartment before he locked up and then walked to the elevator.

 

Oswald genuinely smiled back as he followed Jim into the elevator. He was quiet on the ride down until they reached the car, where he gingerly sat in the passenger side. Jim’s car was already a tad uncomfortable with its beat up seats; the night before had left a definite reminder to make the ride that much more uncomfortable. Oswald did his best not to let on, though, as Jim sat beside him. “So, do you want me to go up and grab the money while you wait in the car?” Oswald asked.

 

"We can both go in... in case you see something you think either you or your mother might need," Jim replied, as he got in the car and began driving towards where Gertrude's apartment was.

 

Oswald gave a small smile. "A few touches from home might be nice." As the two drove, Oswald stared out the window, thinking he had no idea what he was doing anymore; and it frustrated him in ways he didn't know how to express.

 

Looking to Jim, Oswald paused a moment before addressing him. "James? What are you planning to do with me? I mean, we both know you and Barbara won't want me and mother as permanent house guests..." Oswald had to know the other man's intentions for him on some level, to know how he could respond, because at this moment, he felt very confused emotionally.

 

Jim turned that question over in his mind, thinking through exactly what he needed to say and how to word it. "For the moment, the first priority is making sure you and your mother are safe. Ideally, it would be good for you both to return to your home when it's safe to do so... and for us to still work together. As I said... I don't believe you're beyond redemption. I _do_ think this path might be a long and difficult one."

 

Oswald grimaced at the prospect of 'long and difficult,' but he didn't remark on it. Instead, Oswald lowered his eyes to the dashboard, contemplating Jim's words. "Do you really think I can come back from this and start over? You know... Fish is still out there and even though Maroni doesn't hold any ill will towards me, I can't say I hold any favor with him after this weekend's botched job. What if he sells me out to Fish? How can you protect me... mother?"

 

Oswald had turned to face him now, obvious concern written on his face. He had thought about what Jim had been telling him these past few days and recognition of the true danger he had put him and his mother in was eating at him now. "We need to do something..."

 

"If we need to, we can find somewhere else to stay, even if it's only temporarily," Jim answered. "There are some officers I trust to do the right thing on the police force... if protection is needed, I can persuade them to help us out. One thing that will help is if you don't work against me like you did with Maroni. Trust that I have good reasons for saying no to something."

 

Oswald’s brow crinkled in obvious disapproval, “That’s not going to be good enough. We need to take steps to take them down… especially Fish! We’re never going to be safe if we don’t personally take action. You have to know we can’t just run from this?”

 

"I know that," Jim replied, his voice calm. "But I also know that it's not going to be a quick, easy fix. The two of us on our own aren't going to be able to take down one of them, let alone both. That's why we need to build up our own base of allies." It was why he held out hope that his fellow officers would eventually come through.

 

Frowning, Oswald remained silent for the remainder of the car ride. Jim’s response left him to mull over alternative possibilities, as he didn’t see waiting around to maybe make friends with others to do what needed to be done a viable solution. He would bide his time for now and see what arose with Jim to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he definitely planned to keep his options open.

 

Jim was silent as he drove to Oswald's mother's apartment. Reaching the building, he parked and got out of the car, then stepped round to open the passenger door so that Oswald could get out as well.

 

Oswald gave Jim a nod of thanks and the two made their way up to his mother’s apartment. Seeing the abandoned dwelling made Oswald’s heart sink to know this was no longer home for the time being; pushing that thought aside, he moved quickly to his bedroom to gather Levant’s money.

 

Jim waited in the hallway for Oswald to retrieve the money, glancing around as he tried to see if there was anything Oswald and his mother might need or want while they were staying with them.

 

Oswald thought about grabbing some of the stashed money from he’d stolen from Maroni since Jim didn’t follow him, but he thought it might be wise to leave it for now and come back for it another time when it was a safer bet that Jim wouldn’t be watching him so carefully. He might need that money to take down Fish although it wasn’t near enough to hire someone skilled enough willing to attempt an assassination on her… of course there were plenty of lesser criminals that could try if he was willing to risk the chance of ineptitude. Being his funds were limited though, Oswald thought better than to potentially waste an opportunity. Besides, if anyone was going to take Fish out of the game, he wanted to make sure she knew it was him who had done so.

 

He was in and out of his room within a few moments with the money in hand. Oswald saw Jim looking about grabbing a few items his mother had mentioned on the car ride to Jim’s last night. Taking up behind him, Oswald also grabbed a few items to make their stay with Jim and Barbara a little more home-like for her. “Thanks for being so accommodating for mother; it doesn’t take much to make her happy, but I’m sure having a few more things from home will put her at ease in the new surroundings.”

 

Jim nodded to Oswald. "I understand it must be hard on the both of you." His voice was sympathetic. "Obviously, this isn't an ideal situation... at the same time, Barbara and I wouldn't have you staying with us if we weren't happy with it." He just wanted to make that clear. Looking around, he asked, "Is there anything else you can think of either of you might need?"

 

Shrugging Oswald responded, “Honestly, I don’t know what she’d miss most since she and I have lived here as far back as I can remember. I’m sure she’ll let me know once she’s had a chance to settle in anything in particular she’s missing.” The two made their way back to Jim’s car with the items they’d picked to bring back to the flat and loaded back into the car.

 

Oswald still had Levant’s money in hand and as Jim started the car and pulled back on to the road he stared at the stack of bills thinking on how he’d come to have them. His mind turned to Jim’s continued good nature towards him even though Oswald had repeatedly purposefully been quite a thorn in his side by resisting Jim’s efforts to help him at every turn, and yet, the man still hadn’t given up on him. He had been so caught up in the consequences his actions had with Jim that he hadn’t thought about how his behavior must look to Jim, Barbara, and his mother. Thinking about it now served to embarrass him as he recounted the past few days and cringed. He looked back to Jim and sheepishly placed the money in his hands into the car’s cup holder for Jim to take. Oswald’s voice was strained now finding the words he was putting out to take a considerable effort to say, “I just wanted to say thanks… in light of our differences; I do appreciate what you and Barbra are trying to do for us. It’s been hard to… adjust… with… you know, everything and all.”

 

Jim left the money in the cup holder, figuring that was as good a place as any for the time being, even as he replied to Oswald's comment. "Thank you for saying that. And I do know how hard it's been for you." He didn't point out that a lot of that came from Oswald's own actions... and his tone didn't imply that, either. "I meant what I said. That I believe you can do good. Even if it's a long road."

 

Oswald smiled at Jim’s genuine response. “I’m glad you believe in me… sometimes it can be a bit too tempting to make decisions that give me a better foothold in the world that I know you may frown upon. Although I’m working to overcome those urges, I have to wonder what I can contribute now, if I’m not an informant for you.”

 

"Even though you're not going to be acting as an informant any longer, you likely have a lot of information that might be useful," Jim replied. "But there will be other ways you can help. Without putting yourself in danger. Or breaking the law."

 

Oswald agreed with a nod and a broad smile, liking the thought of still being useful to Jim using a skill-set he felt quite adept at. “I like to think I have a little information worth offering, as well as a few little birds that, with a greased palm, can keep tabs on a few things for us to help in your investigations. As for breaking the law, sometimes a few eggs will be broken, I’m sure, when pursuing to take down mob types; but we can avoid most things that will be considered not law abiding.” They were coming up to the art district, Oswald noted, looking ahead before scooting down in his seat, apparently not wanting to be seen when the two pulled up to Levant’s restaurant.

 

Reaching the restaurant, Jim parked the car. "Breaking the law to try and make things is all very well... but where do you draw the line?" he asked seriously. He undid his seatbelt and took out his wallet, adding the amount of money that Oswald had used to the money he was going to return to Levant.

 

Oswald didn’t answer as he watched Jim replace the fifty dollars he’d spent. He was more than content to wait for Jim in the car and said as much. “I gather you’ll find out what kind of person Levant is when you go to return his money while I keep a watch out here.” As an afterthought, Oswald added, “If I were you, I’d ask to speak with him in private, just in case he decides to make a scene.”

 

Jim nodded. "Thanks for the advice." It wasn't a sarcastic response. He was grateful for the help Oswald could give him. He got out of the car and headed into the restaurant.

 

Oswald watched him go, glad he wasn’t going to have to face the restaurant owner, and hoped that Jim didn’t give the man reason to tell Fish about the incident.

 

As Jim entered, Levant noticed Jim from across the room and, obviously recognizing him, immediately nervously approached. “Can I help you?”

 

"Can I speak to you in private?" Jim asked, remembering Oswald's suggestion. His voice was firm, but not angry or irritated.

 

The man seemed to pale at the suggestion, but he nodded quickly. “Ah, of course, sir… right this way.” Levant motioned for Jim to follow him back to his office, dabbing a bead of sweat off his brow with the hand towel he’d previously been wiping down the bar with when Jim had entered. Levant led them to the back of the restaurant, moving behind his desk and taking a seat. His hand held a slight tremor now as he squeaked out, “Please sit; to what do I owe this pleasure?”

 

Jim followed the other man, mentally planning what to say so as not to cause Levant to try and stir up trouble. He went with the simplest approach and held the wallet of money out to him. "Oswald is no longer working with Fish, so I'm returning this to you."

 

Levant's face registered confusion. "I don't understand?"

 

"Oswald shouldn't have taken this money from you, since he is no longer in Fish's employ." Jim placed the money on the desk. "I'm returning it to you." He didn't say that he suspected it was protection money... but since it seemed like Fish hadn't sent any of her goons to collect the money yet, then perhaps there would be no harm, no foul.

 

Levant’s face registered further confusion before moving to annoyance. “What do you mean, he’s no longer working for Fish? What’s going on here?” The wheels were turning now and the man seemed wary of Jim. “Who are you?”

 

Jim could have lied about his identity, but since it would be so easy to check on, he decided to go for the truth... even if he didn't intend to give out his name. "I'm a police officer." He didn't clarify why he was with Oswald, figuring he would allow the other man to draw his own conclusions.

 

The man’s eyes widened in obvious apprehension. “A police officer?! Uh, am, am I under investigation? Please, officer, I have a family. This restaurant is all we have!” The man was beginning to panic now, obviously assuming Jim was confronting him as an undercover police officer to either bust him for some illicit activities, or assuming he was a dirty cop wanting a take.

 

"You aren't under investigation," Jim said. "But since Oswald is working with me now and not Fish, I'm returning the money. I'm sure you can't afford to pay twice over."

 

Levant seemed to take Jim’s words in slowly relaxing a little at Jim’s reassurance that he wasn’t going to jail any time soon. He nodded vigorously, “Yes that would be rather taxing to say the least.” As Levant said this he took the money that Jim now held out to him quickly as if the detective might change his mind in a moment’s notice. After taking the money, Levant peered at Jim anxiously before asking, “You aren’t looking to make an informant out of me are you?”

 

Jim shook his head. "I just came to return your money. I don't expect or want anything." He stepped over to the door, adding, "Though I would appreciate it if what happened doesn't leave this room. I don't want to make things... difficult." He really wanted to avoid Fish coming after Oswald... though he didn't say that.

 

Seeming to agree readily, Levant nodded. “Certainly!” Letting Fish onto the notion he’d been speaking with the police was definitely something he wished to avoid.

 

"Thank you." Jim headed out of the office and left the restaurant, returning to his car.

 

Hearing someone approach the car, Oswald peered up from where he'd been ducking down to see Jim. He let out the breath he was holding, glad it wasn't anyone associated with Fish. When he'd got in the car, Oswald was intrigued to know how the encounter went, quickly asking, before the man could settle in his seat, "What did Levant say? Does it look like he's going to be trouble?"

 

Jim sat down in the driver's seat, closing the door and putting his seatbelt on. "It seemed like he might at first... but he changed his tune when I told him I was a policeman. I don't think he'll say anything. It wouldn't be good for him to tell anyone he had an officer in the restaurant."

 

Oswald nodded. “It’s good to know he’s so easily persuaded. Let’s hope he doesn’t change his mind later, when he feels less intimidated.” A large part of Oswald was relieved he didn’t have to worry about Fish learning the secret that he was still alive. His biggest concern now was, what he was going to do with himself next? He looked back at Jim as the two pulled away from the curb and back in to traffic. “I suppose we’ll be heading back to the house now, then?” Oswald wasn’t sure if Jim had any plans for them after returning the money, but now that the deed was done, he felt like a load had been lifted somehow. It was an odd sensation, because he hadn’t really felt guilty for taking the money before, but he supposed being around Jim may have been affecting him in this way too.

 

"We can go back to the house," Jim replied, carefully driving through the traffic. "Or we can go somewhere else, if you'd prefer." He figured that, since Oswald hadn't been giving him a hard time, they could do something Oswald wanted to... within reason.

 

Thinking it over, Oswald realized alienating himself from a life of crime left little in the way for activities and places to currently go. This served to depress him a bit and he shrugged, responding, “I know you have to go back to work… I remember you mentioning it Saturday, so we can just head back to the house.”

 

"You don't need to worry about me going back to work," Jim said. "I can afford to take today off... we don't have to go back to the apartment. I'm sure there are plenty of things we could do. Like catch a movie."

 

Oswald’s eyes brightened. “You don’t have to do that for me.” He didn’t say that he had wanted to go, but the smile on his face denoted that he was touched Jim wanted to spend the day with him and welcomed the opportunity to enjoy spending time with him as a friend.

 

Jim glanced sideways at Oswald. "I think it might be nice to do that," he said. "Are there any particular genres of movie you like to see?"

 

Oswald shrugged. "I'm not really sure. Mother was never much for the cinema. I'll defer judgement to you."

 

Nodding, Jim started driving in the direction of the theater... already planning out what movie they coul watch.

 

As the two made their way through the city, Oswald kept being brought back to thinking about his and his mother's future. He wasn't exactly qualified for much legally and he'd be damned if he would do some menial job for the rest of his life! No, there had to be something better and he would have to figure out what.

 

Jim pulled into the theater parking lot and due to the early hours, they were one of the few cars in the lot. Turning to Jim, Oswald smiled. "Looks like we can have our pick."

 

Jim gave Oswald a smile in return. "Looks like," he agreed, before parking the car in one of the available spaces and getting out. He waited for Oswald to join him before locking the doors and then heading into the theatre.

 

Oswald followed Jim to the window, where several movies and show times were displayed. He looked them over, watching Jim quietly to see what he would choose.

 

Jim glanced through the movie titles and times and finally gestured towards a fairly popular one that was due to start in about ten minutes. "How about this one?"

 

Nodding shyly, Oswald answered, “Sure. I’m not overly familiar with any of them, but I trust your judgement.” The two made their way to the counter, purchasing the tickets, and made their way to their seats, enjoying small talk about a myriad of topics before the movie started; and by the time the movie had ended, the two were bantering about the antics they saw, since Jim picked a comedy for them to watch, which had surprised Oswald, but it definitely served to lighten their moods.

 

As they walked back to the car, Oswald said, “Well, it’s nearly noon, what would you like to do now? If I know the women well enough, they likely won’t be home again for at least a few more hours.”

 

Jim considered that as he walked next to Oswald. "Are there any places you'd like to visit?" he asked. "If we use up another hour or so, we can go somewhere to get lunch."

 

After a moment of consideration, Oswald answered, “There’s always the pier, I suppose. I like to go there to think sometimes; just stare out at the harbor and listen to the sounds of the water. It used to be relaxing, but I haven’t been there since… well, you know when.”

 

Jim nodded. "If you think you'd feel comfortable going there, we can do that." Reaching the car, he unlocked it and then got in the driver's seat, waiting for Oswald to get in as well before he put his seatbelt on and began driving.

 

For the next couple of hours, the two spent their time walking along the pier and talking about life in Gotham. Oswald was very informed about much of the goings on along the harbor and tidbits on the mob bosses that used the area for illicit means. He was sure Jim appreciated the intel, although the man took the information in stride, not really giving Oswald an affirmative on whether he found the information useful or not. Either way, Oswald liked to talk; especially when he felt someone was aptly listening to him. They had walked until they ended up at a small deli to which Oswald entertained had the best meatball subs. They ate and returned to the car as the sun began to recede over the high sky scrapers in the distance.

 

Oswald was feeling more carefree than he had in a very long time. As they loaded into the car, Oswald looked to Jim and felt an unfamiliar warmth for the man, knowing that Jim truly had his back and actually cared about what happened to him. This compassion outside of his mother’s love was almost alien to him. He smiled amiably at Jim, before turning away as his mood shifted. He realized then how much he held himself on guard around others, because those he normally surrounded himself with, he didn’t trust and likewise were smart not to trust him. This kind of lifestyle wore away at the soul and it wasn’t until now that Oswald truly felt the weight of his personal choices.

 

It vexed him to think further on those choices that he couldn’t take back. Unexpectedly, his actions began to haunt him. Was this regret? What had he done to get to the point he was now? The fact that his ‘now’ wasn’t even anything grandiose, though he had had ambitious plans, were a further testament to his rising inner guilt. Where before, he’d been numb to the callous disregard to others, justifying these decisions as a necessity to get ahead and to provide the lifestyle he wanted for himself and his mother. He had reasoned, if they were as clever as he, that they would have made the same decisive rational, but Jim would never have done what he’d done, Oswald knew full well. In the end, the goal he fought so hard for before now seemed quite fruitless and in fact very selfish. His stomach knotted at the thought of disgust in the other man’s eyes, to know what he’d truly done. Jim would never forgive him, he knew; how could he? He didn’t speak on these deliberations, though and instead stared off in troubled thought as the two made their way back to brownstone.

 

It didn't take long for Jim to become aware of the fact that Oswald had gone quiet; that he seemed troubled. Glancing sideways at the other man, Jim spoke softly as he continued to drive. "You've gone quiet. Is there something wrong?" His voice was concerned.

 

Oswald blinked, becoming aware of himself and that Jim was speaking to him as he stumbled out, “Uh, oh no… just tired, I suppose.” He smiled sheepishly, never making eye contact other than a few sidelong glances. He couldn’t bring himself to look in Jim’s eyes in the heat of such thoughts. The guilt washed over him fully now, as if Jim had honed in on all he’d done, sniffing it to the surface. Of course, Oswald knew this was just an emotion caused by his over active imagination, but his cheeks flushed just the same, as if he’d been caught red handed.

 

"Are you sure?" Jim didn't miss the look on Oswald's face... as if he seemed guilty about something. Jim was fairly certain nothing had happened (the only time Oswald had been alone was when Jim had gone to see Levant and there hadn't been enough time for something to occur), but he was concerned and that did show through.

 

He nodded quickly to affirm he was in fact fine. “I have had a really good time with you today; my thoughts were just drifting, is all.” Oswald hoped his answer would suffice; looking ahead, he breathed a sigh of relief to see the brownstone come into view, knowing one way or another, he could get away from the conversation soon enough by busying himself with bringing in the few things the two had gathered for his mother.

 

Jim parked the car outside the apartment building, but instead of leaving the vehicle straight away, he turned to look at Oswald. "I have the feeling something's bothering you... you've gone quiet and I'm worried," he stated simply. "If you want to talk... I can listen."

 

The blush returned to his cheeks as Oswald gave a strained smile. “Really, it’s nothing. I was just thinking of times gone by that could have been better realized.” Feeling the need to change the subject to keep Jim from prying further, Oswald added quickly, “I wonder if the girls are back yet? I’m sure the outing with Barbara will make mother feel more at home.”

 

Jim wasn't fooled by Oswald changing the subject even a little bit, but he didn't press the issue for now. "I'm sure it will have done. They'll both have had fun." He opened his door and got out, moving to take the items they'd brought.

 

Oswald moved as quickly as his bad leg would allow to help Jim and the two wordlessly brought the arm loads from the car and into the house. Oswald groaned his embarrassment as he and Jim moved down the hall at hearing his mother recanting a story from his youth. He wished she could find something better to talk about, but he knew as much as she was his life, he was also hers, so his mother had likely told his whole life story through her eyes to Barbara by now. Gertrude and Barbara were sitting at the table, relaxing with cups of tea, seemingly taken out of their conversation by seeing the two men enter the room and giving the two a merry hello.

 

Smiling brightly at his mother, Oswald moved to show her the items that they’d brought for her. “Here’s a few things we thought you might like, mother.”

 

Beaming her appreciation, Gertrude cooed, “Such a thoughtful boy. Thank you, Oswald. We brought something for you two as well.”

 

Barbara’s own smile widened as she announced, “We picked up some ice cream for an after dinner treat. Have you two eaten already?”

 

Oswald shook his head, “We ate lunch about an hour ago, so I’m not going to be up for dinner anytime soon, but ice cream, I’ll make room for.” His grin widened into that goofy grin he always portrayed with that socially awkward snort.

 

Jim smiled as he finished putting away the things they had brought, then walked over to give Barbara a quick kiss. "I think ice cream sounds good," he said. "I can grab some bowls and spoons." He walked through to the kitchen, addressing Oswald as he did. "Would you like something to drink?"

 

***

 

The rest of the night seemed to go smoothly, as the group talked about their separate adventures and played a few card games before settling in for an early night, since the weekend’s events left everyone a bit drained and grateful for an early night. Gertrude had retired first and Oswald followed shortly behind, leaving Barbara and Jim to have a bit of alone time.

 

Leaning against Jim on the couch, Barbara relaxed into a languid state as she mused, “This is nice. I mean, I didn’t really see having a full house as being something I enjoyed, but surprisingly… it’s been rather refreshing. Did everything go okay for you today? I didn’t want to pry too much while Oswald was in the room, but you appear a little more relaxed than when you two left this morning.”

 

Jim wrapped his arm around Barbara, drawing her in close and kissing her head. "Returning the money went smoother than I'd hoped... although I think we should avoid going to that restaurant, at least for a while. And it was good for the two of us to spend the day together... though Oswald became more quiet later on. I'm certain something's bothering him."

 

Barbara turned a concerned look to Jim. “Should we be worried? You’ll have to go in to the precinct tomorrow and that will leave me here with both Gertrude and Oswald. I’m not worried about Gertrude, but do you think Oswald might be up to something, or might try to run off again?”

 

"I'm not sure I could say he _won't_ try anything," Jim replied honestly, after a moment's thought. "But I think demonstrating that we trust him to behave would help. If I'm constantly watching him, or expecting him to do something he shouldn't, that's just going to convince him there's no point in trying to change."

 

Barbara nodded her agreement. “I can understand that… but you can tell he needs and wants guidance, even if he isn’t openly saying so. Now, I’m not saying we need to control every aspect of his life, of course, but some people need a continued structure to keep them heading in the right direction; and I think Oswald is one of those people, especially with those that he knows want to see him succeed. Gertrude and I talked a lot and I was thinking maybe we should arrange something for him to focus on, so to speak? Idle hands and what not… what do you think?”

 

"I think that's a good idea," Jim agreed. "I've been thinking that he needs structure and guidelines... and I think having him do something would be a good idea. Does Gertrude have any ideas on what he might be more interested in?" The last thing they wanted was to arrange something that Oswald would have little to no interest in.

 

Barbara took in a deep breath. “From talking to Gertrude, she isn’t easily persuaded to push Oswald into anything that she feels doesn’t make him happy… which is good and bad. I suggested that perhaps going back to school might work well for him. He doesn’t have anything more than a high school education and if he wants to grow beyond where he is now, an education could help pave the road to better choices for him. She countered with him never liking school because of bullies, but I think college will be a bit of a different experience. Any suggestions?”

 

"I think further education might be good... but I'm not sure about specialist subjects," Jim said. "It might be worth talking to him about anything in particular he likes doing... something that's a hobby that there might be a course Oswald can take for."

 

Barbara nodded her agreement. “That sounds like something we can talk about with him tomorrow, but for now…” Her eyes shifted around to make sure they were in fact alone before climbing into Jim’s lap and leaning in to give him a passionate kiss as she turned off the lamp.

 

***

 

Morning came quickly and the familiar buzzing of the alarm woke Barbara before Jim. She stretched, rolling to her side and turning off the alarm. Jim was blinking awake as well and she leaned in to kiss him good morning. “I’ll go get a pot of coffee going,” she mumbled, before stumbling for her robe and out of the bedroom.

 

Oswald and Gertrude were already awake and dressed, milling about in the kitchen, and the coffee was already brewed, much to Barbara’s delight. They exchanged pleasantries as she sat down at the table. Gertrude had been busy in the kitchen, bringing out a hot plate of eggs and toast along with a cup of coffee to set beside Barbara. By the time Jim came out, a piping hot plate and a cup of coffee were already sat at his place setting and everyone was quietly chatting at the table waiting for him.

 

Although they hadn't been awake really late last night, Jim still had to go and shower to wake himself up. He was quick, though and came out within a few minutes, dressed, before taking his place at the table with a smile. "It looks good." Taking a sip of coffee helped to wake him up the rest of the way.

 

Oswald seemed rather chipper as he went back and forth with the ladies and as Jim took a seat he smiled in the man’s direction, “Good morning Jim, I trust you slept well?”

 

Jim smiled at Oswald in return. "I did sleep well. How did you sleep?" He wasn't sure if Barbara or Gertrude had mentioned going to college to Oswald... so he decided not to bring it up just yet and wait and see if the two women had something in mind.

 

Oswald’s smile grew so wide, it threatened to crack his face. He took a moment to dab his mouth with his napkin. “I did, actually; fell right asleep and slept like a rock!” He took a moment to scoop a few more fork-fulls of egg into his mouth, chewing rapidly and swallowing before responding as casually as he could muster, although the excitement brimming just beneath could still be felt, “So, I was thinking I could go in to the station with you and, I don’t know, help you round up some bad guys. We could be a real team, you and I!” All the while as he spoke, he nodded eagerly.

 

Oswald wanted information; information was power and if he was going to do anything from the sidelines, he had to have resources and what better resources than the GCPD? If he could get access to criminal files, there was a lot of havoc he could cause contacting the right individuals… and who knows, if he happened to influence a few people here and there to gather a case on Fish? What was the harm in it? After all, he would be working to bring her to justice and that was what Jim, Barbara and his mother all wanted, wasn’t it? Technically speaking, he would be working for the good guys to ‘do the right thing,’ even if what he planned to do was slightly illegal.

 

"I appreciate that you do want to help," Jim said, his smile turning a bit more reassuring. "And I know you'd like us to work as a team... but I think you'd be happier to return to education. I understand that school was a difficult environment for you, but I think college will be a better experience... and it would be a good opportunity for you to develop further skills."

 

Oswald’s smile faltered as he blinked, letting go a small titter. “School? You want me to go back to school?” This prospect did not sound at all like the fun he had planned to have working with Jim and in fact, it sounded rather dull and like a lot of hard work. Oswald’s lip curled slightly as he added, “Uh, I don’t really have any ideas for a major; besides, I thought it would be more pertinent that we work on taking care of our… problems.”

 

Barbara spoke now, adding, “Don’t you think it would be better if you focused on more fruitful possibilities and left Jim to concentrate on making a solid case? It’s more likely someone might catch wind that you’re alive and back in Gotham, being so close to the situation.” Barbara didn’t add that she thought having Oswald in close proximity with the bad elements he’d been working with was akin to having a junkie working in the same area as the drugs they were addicted to.

 

“I agree, Oswald; it would be for the best, don’t you think?” Gertrude included her opinion on the matter and Oswald’s face had turned into a full-fledged frown now.

 

He didn’t answer them and the room had grown perceptibly silent before Oswald, who had been staring at the table, lifted his head with a cool expression, replying, “I suppose if everyone wants this, who am I to disagree?” He smiled tightly, continuing, “I can just take basic classes until I figure out the direction I want to take.”

 

The fact was, Oswald very much disagreed, but he thought better of voicing it. This could actually work to his advantage, after all. He could gather his own Intel while everyone else assumed he was attending class and anything he might need to do to build his own case could be gathered without an ethical debate with Jim. A semester ran about three months, so he’d just have to get what he needed within that time frame. Piece of cake.

 

Jim couldn't help feeling a little suspicious about how easily Oswald had capitulated to their suggestions. He wondered if it might be necessary to take the other man and make sure he actually attended... but unless Oswald actually skipped class, Jim wouldn't say anything about it.

 

"We can look at colleges that might have courses that will interest you," Jim said, as he finished off his breakfast and drank his coffee.

 

Oswald readily agreed. “That sounds great, although now that I’m no longer… well, let’s just say, I’m not as capable of paying for classes as I once was, so it may be a gradual step for the future.”

 

“I’m sure I can help in that regard.” Barbara smiled brightly. She relished the idea of being able to be a part of setting Oswald in a direction that could help him make something more of himself.

 

Gertrude blushed, feeling a twinge of embarrassment for her own lack of ability to offer her son a better future. “You are too kind, Barbara… I will look into what I can do to get him tuition grants to not burden you so.”

 

As the women continued to talk about their ideas to help him go back to school, Oswald grew quiet, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden involvement everyone wished to contribute and all the ‘plans’ they had for him.

 

Jim glanced at Oswald, noticing that he'd gone quiet, and interjected, so Oswald wouldn't feel quite so overwhelmed, "Why don't we look at the potential courses first and then at which colleges offer funding to help out with tuition?"

 

Oswald gave Jim a small smile and nodded. "That sounds good. No need to rush, right? And in the meantime… maybe I could help you out a bit at the station? I mean, until we solidify plans for schooling, of course.” Oswald figured talk of school could be extended indefinitely if he had his way, especially if he also got to enact his previous ideas.

 

"We can see," Jim replied. Glancing at his watch, he added, "I have a bit of time before I need to get to the station. Why don't we have a look into some potential courses now? Just so you have something to think about."

 

Oswald tried to hide his disappointment from Jim’s response, giving a strained smile. “That sounds good.” He gave a slight nod and returned to eating his breakfast, thinking it best to quit while he was ahead. Oswald didn’t want to seem overzealous, after all.

 

Jim finished up his own breakfast and then moved to help with cleanup. Once that was done, he approached Oswald. "Shall we take a look at the potential courses now?" he asked, knowing they had a bit of time.

 

Oswald gave him an unenthusiastic nod. “Sure… sounds great.” He followed Jim into the living room, while Jim pulled out a laptop and booted it up. Oswald sat next to him, watching as Jim sifted through different sites to find what he was looking for.

 

The women remained in the kitchen, quietly chatting, and Oswald found he felt awkward waiting to hear what Jim presented to him. In some ways, he wanted to better himself through college, but the thought of actually applying himself to college meant commitment' and at the moment, he wasn’t really prepared to make that big of a leap. It was a scary prospect, because the thought of failure was crushing.

 

Jim pulled up several sites and then passed the laptop over to Oswald so that the other man could check out any he liked the look of. "I know the prospect of going back to education isn't very appealing, but I think you'll find this environment better than what you experienced at school."

 

Oswald stiffened at the mention of past school experiences, but he didn't remark on it, merely giving Jim a small nod as he looked over the sites. "Maybe this one here?" He pointed to a local community college that had an expansive downtown campus. Oswald picked the college mostly due to its central location; he knew from that point, he could get most places in the city and its size would make it easier to disappear into the background, where a professor would likely not notice if he was not to attend.

 

"Are there any courses there that interest you?" Jim asked, wondering if Oswald was just pointing to the first one he thought of.

 

Oswald smiled sheepishly, having no idea. "Uh, I figured I could look into that."

 

"Why don't we have a look at what they offer?" Jim suggested. "You might find something you like the look of."

 

The two looked over the site, discussing some of Oswald’s options and, after some research, decided the next move he needed was to take the assessment at the college available from 8AM to 4PM to see where Oswald stood academically and start off with mandatory classes that were a prerequisite for any degree, before trying to decide on any actual career path. The new semester would start in about two weeks, so time was of the essence.

 

After discussing their findings with the women, Barbara had volunteered to take Oswald in for the testing today to get the results and see what they could do from that point, freeing Jim up to go to work.

 

Gertrude planned to visit the financial aid office with Barbara while Oswald did his testing to see what requirements he would need to get into classes.

 

Oswald tried to seem excited about the venture, but in all honesty, the more and more they talked about the reality of the situation, the more nervous he became. “Ma…maybe we should wait until next semester to enroll? They might not be able to squeeze me in… and the classes I want might not be available…” It was a weak excuse, but it might buy him some time to think up a better plan, he thought.

 

Gertrude patted his leg. “I am sure you will do just fine, my boy.”

 

She smiled proudly at him and he gave her a less than assured smile back, answering, “Of course, mother… I… I’m sure it will be just fine.”

 

"I'm sure you'll find it easier than you think," Jim said encouragingly. He drank the last of his cup of coffee and then gave Barbara a quick kiss goodbye, before he left the apartment, moving down in the elevator and then stepping out once he reached the ground level. He got in his car and drove down to the precint.

 

As soon as Jim walked through the doors, he found himself dragged to one side by Harvey. "Do you really think it's such a good idea to have Cobblepot staying with you? If Fish finds out, well... I wouldn't want to be in your shoes."

 

"And how did _you_ find out?" Jim asked.

 

"I'm keeping tabs on you. Trying to make sure you don't get yourself killed. Which if you take in a stray criminal is more likely to happen."

 

"Since he's officially dead, how else do you suggest I keep an eye on him?" Jim returned. He didn't say that there was something in Oswald he thought was worth saving. He was sure that Harvey wouldn't understand... never mind that his partner was constantly crossing the line between right and wrong.

 

Harvey looked like he wanted to say something more, but it was at that point they had a call come through about a homicide. The two detectives immediately went to check it out.


	12. A Higher Education

A Change in Plans  
Chapter Twelve - A Higher Education

It wasn’t long after Jim had left that Oswald and the girls filed out of the apartment and down to Barbara’s car. Gertrude and Barbara really seemed to have hit it off, Oswald noted, and a slight pang of jealousy surfaced momentarily as they drove across town and Oswald felt more than a little left out, with the two chattering and laughing amongst themselves about topics he was less than interested in. Oswald was happy to see the two getting along, though; after all, he did really like Barbara and deep down, he knew his mother was lonely and having a friend like Barbara was good for her.

They pulled into the campus parking lot at about ten and after orienting themselves, the group made their way to the admissions office. The campus was nice enough, but the further they went in, the more Oswald felt withdrawn. What was he thinking, agreeing to this? He hated school! All school ever reminded him of was bullies and conformist attitudes.

Barbara saw him brooding and dropped back to stride next to him, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “Are you alright, Oswald?”

Oswald’s eyes had been glued to the ground as they’d walked through the better half of the campus, stewing on the possibilities he’d likely encounter as a college student, none of them positive scenarios of course, so he was taken a bit off guard when Barbara had sidled up next to him. He lifted his head with a start. “Wha? Oh… yes. I’m dandy. Just… thinking.”

Barbara nodded. “You know, this is a big step. I can imagine it’s not what you imagined you’d be spending your day looking into today, but for what it’s worth, I’m confident whatever you apply yourself to here, you’ll excel at.”

Oswald smiled; he liked flattery, especially when it came from others that were not his mother, since he’d grown to expect adulation from her. “Thank you, Barbara; you are too kind. I do appreciate the sentiment.” Her words did seem to make him feel a bit better and he relaxed, joining the two to talk about the campus. It didn’t matter anyway, right? It wasn’t like he was really planning on actually attending classes. This thought, of course, made him feel quite guilty, knowing how much Jim, Barbara and his mother seemed to invest in the idea of him going to school. He’d prove to them he could take down Fish with his own connections and then Jim wouldn’t feel the need to keep Oswald and his mother at their apartment and the two would go back home and drop the idea of all this school nonsense.

Feeling more confident that he’d have full control of his life soon enough, Oswald lightened up, deciding to please the women with putting on his best face while speaking to the admissions clerk. The group was informed where Oswald could go to take his assessment, as well as where the financial aid office was located. After finding the assessment hall, the women gave Oswald their well wishes, to which Gertrude went well overboard, turning Oswald three shades of red before they headed out to see what he would need concerning funding.

It took about two hours for Oswald to finish and he was grateful the room was a group of small cubicles with an isolated computer. He wasn’t much for computers, but they were easy enough to navigate for the testing and he felt he’d done well enough with each subject. After he was finished, he found Barbara and his mother waiting for him and the three left the college and went to lunch to discuss the women’s findings. Since Oswald was twenty-two, his financial income was defaulted to his mother’s, so he would be granted a full Pell Grant, so both women were quite excited for Oswald’s prospects. Oswald told them he would get his results mailed to him within the next few days, but that he felt confident he’d done well. The women seemed quite happy and for this, Oswald was also quite happy; and the rest of the day was leisurely enough, spent at the apartment where Oswald retired to his room to read and get his thoughts straight.

The smells of lasagna filtered through the air as Jim returned home and both women were bustling about in the kitchen, chatting away.

Jim came in through the door, tired from having spent a lot of the day fielding questions from Harvey... not to mention talking him out of 'protecting' him by taking care of things himself. And there had been a whole new case load.

Though Jim was fairly certain most of that was because there was still a lot of hostility towards him from the rest of the officers at the precint.

Locking up behind him, Jim walked into the kitchen and gave Barbara a quick kiss. "It smells good."

Barbara turned into him, giving him a bright smile and another kiss. “It’s actually Gertrude’s recipe; I’m just helping.”

Gertrude beamed. “I always wondered what it would have been like to have a daughter and this has been a wonderful experience.” Jim could tell the two had really hit it off; between Gertrude’s natural instincts to mother and Barbara’s own lack of an intimate relationship with her own parents, their bond seemed to grow the more time they spent together.

“Dinner is almost ready; can you go grab Oswald? He’s been in his room for the past couple hours reading,” Barbara said, as she moved about setting the table for the four to eat.

Jim nodded, smiling at both of the women. "If you need me to help with anything... just let me know." He stepped out of the kitchen, walking along the corridor to Oswald's room, where he knocked on the door. "Oswald? Dinner's almost ready."

Feeling quite confident and pleased with his efforts for the day, Oswald chirped, “I’ll be out in a moment.” Oswald was heading down the hall to join them no sooner than Jim had sat himself down. The whole demeanor of the room seemed content and joyful as they regaled Jim with their day’s progress.

Smiling at Jim as she portioned out a helping of lasagna, Barbara asked, “So how did your day go, sweetie?”

Jim reached out and took his glass of wine, taking a sip as he thought about how to answer that. Finally setting down the glass, he spoke. "There are a couple of ongoing cases I can't really discuss." Though they were able to make a couple of arrests. He didn't mention that Harvey was aware of Oswald staying with him and Barbara. He would if it became a problem, though.

Dinner went well and everyone seemed to enjoy each other’s company. The next couple of days also went smoothly and were otherwise uneventful as the Cobblepots settled more into the flat. The company seemed to please Barbara more than she’d thought, having grown accustomed to living alone, but never enjoying the silence it brought.

Gertrude poured most of her energy into finding activities to stay busy and although she liked Barbara and Jim, both Oswald and herself were creatures of habit, her more so than her son, and being pulled away from the comfort of her own dwelling left Gertrude feeling a bit displaced.

Oswald, for his part, took the time to study the layout of the school through online means and devised plans on how he could meet up with a contact of his that he could get information on how things were moving in the underworld. This college thing would provide a perfect cover to lie low and spy on Fish without Jim, Barbara or his mother interfering.

He was pleased when his acceptance letter arrived from the college, giving him high marks in accounting math, history, reading and English, although he would need to take a prerequisite class for science and algebra. Oswald never saw much sense in the higher mathematics past how it affected earning money, but it made choosing the first half of his courses easy; and with Jim’s guidance, he chose a college English course in classic writing and a drama course to fill his schedule. Without expecting it, Oswald was actually kind of excited to see what the writing and drama class would be like. Deciding to push those two to be his mid-morning classes that he would actually attend and the other two in the afternoon he’d skip and use to do his own detective work, Oswald spent the next week before classes began finding the right palm to grease willing to ‘stand in’ for him for the classes he wasn’t interested in to keep his ruse afloat.

Jim had spent most of the time working several cases. Although some of his days were longer, he still had enough time to come back home and spend time with Barbara, including Gertrude and Oswald in that.

The weekend before Oswald was due to start at college, the four of them had decided to eat out at a restaurant. Jim had already decided to 'drop by' during the first week or so, to see how Oswald was getting on... though he was fairly certain the other man wasn't faking at least some of his excitement.

Once Jim started back to working his normal shifts, it didn’t take much for Oswald to convince Barbara to make a quick jaunt back to their apartment under the guise of a surprise for his mother to get her a few of her treasured picture albums. Liking the thoughtfulness behind the gesture gave Oswald the ability to keep Barbra’s suspicions at bay, allowing him to slip by her and squirrel away enough cash from the stash of Maroni’s money he’d stolen to ensure he could pay the stooge he found, as well as have money to get others to do some snooping for him once he’d started his own investigations.

Oswald had rather enjoyed the laid back atmosphere of just relaxing with Jim, Barbara and his mother and with all the hours Jim had been working, it was easy for Oswald to solidify plans with Gus, a low brow thug that frequented Oswald’s old stomping grounds. He was a predictable man that often spent much of his time loitering around the corner liquor store not far from Fish’s night club. It hadn’t taken much to suggest the bistro next door to the liquor store as a lunch option that Barbara was more than happy to treat, since she often liked to take the two out and about on little excursions to get out of the house. Slipping to the store to buy a pack of Tylenol made for a perfect excuse to leave the women chatting to meet up with the bum. Gus was more than willing to make easy money to fuel his bad habits and readily agreed to the prospect of sixty dollars to sit through two one hour classes and take notes. Gus wasn’t a prime choice, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, Oswald realized; and Gus would have to do for this semester until Oswald could find a better substitute.

The fabled day came when he was to start classes and Oswald found he was awash with a tide of emotions, most of them equating to nervousness to not only go to his first college class, but also because he knew what he planned to do, Jim and the women would greatly disapprove of. He pushed that thought from his mind, though, convincing himself that once he’d proven he was able to make a difference in building a case against Fish, Jim wouldn’t be able to help seeing him as a valuable asset and keep him in the fold. After all, Fish thought he was dead, so her guard would be down; and Oswald planned to capitalize on her sure to be underestimation of his abilities.

The first few days seemed to go all right. Jim was kept fairly busy at the precint, so it was a while before he was able to go and meet Oswald. Eventually, towards the end of the week, he had his lunch hour free and decided to meet the other man for lunch.

Taking his own car, Jim made sure his radio was on and set to the frequency most used (although Harvey was the one most likely to contact him) and drove to the college, parking and getting out of the car. He checked Oswald's schedule and began moving in the direction of the building where Oswald's current class was supposed to be about to let out.

Oswald had just finished his drama class and although he wasn’t overly fond of getting in front of the class to recite a piece from Macbeth, he was surprised that he had got into the scene and that his fellow classmates had not laughed as he’d feared, but had given him applause for his efforts. It was exhilarating and did wonders for his confidence, leaving a huge smile plastered on his face as he practically skipped down the corridor towards the parking lot.

He had a lot to get done before meeting up with Gus at the end of his classes to collect his homework assignments and horribly scrawled notes. Oswald obviously couldn’t take the tests and Gus was more than pleased to hear that Oswald wanted him to skip most of those days for that reason, but for credibility's sake, Oswald wanted to be sure he at least did the work, especially after Barbara was kind enough to buy the extremely expensive text books for all his classes. He felt a pang of guilt every time he skipped the class, but every time he did, it was a little less niggling.

He froze as he heard Jim’s voice call out to him and he turned white as a sheet as a rush of terror rose up his spine. “Jim!” He pulled himself together quickly enough as he sputtered, “What are you doing here? I thought you had to work today?”

Jim couldn't help but notice the way Oswald turned white and the way he sputtered. While he didn't have any evidence to say that the other man had been up to any mischief, it was obvious that Oswald was feeling guilty about something and Jim raised his eyebrows as he looked more closely at the other man. "Since it's lunch hour, I thought we could eat lunch together. Is everything all right? How have classes gone?"

Recovering quickly, Oswald shook his head. “Oh, me? I’m fine; I’m just surprised to see you… and classes are going well… I actually got up in front of the class to do a monologue today… it was… fun.” He smiled warmly at the thought of it, before turning back to Jim, less anxious now, as he hadn’t actually been caught doing anything. Oswald was glad Jim had come now and not in between his last two classes, where there was a fifteen minute gap, as Jim wouldn’t have found him on campus. In actuality, this chance meeting worked in his favor to help Jim feel Oswald was in fact attending his classes. “I still have an hour and forty five minutes before my next class begins, so lunch sounds great! Where did you have in mind?” 

Jim pushed away the suspicions, wanting to believe that Oswald was being honest... and he was reasonably sure that kind of enthusiasm was hard to fake. Reminding himself that he had to trust Oswald as much as he expected the other man to trust him, Jim didn't question him further. "There are a couple of cafes close to the campus... or restaurants, if you feel like having something more substantial."

Deciding on a café close to campus, Oswald and Jim headed over to a local bistro for lunch. Oswald managed to keep cool and collected throughout their visit and after being dropped off back at campus forty minutes later, he carefully made his way across the expanse of the property and onto the subway, heading into the slums of town. Once there, he observed the comings and goings of Fish, documenting what he could in the few hours that he was able to observe her operations.

In the following weeks, Oswald continued this trend, always making sure to stick around campus long enough that if Jim came looking for him, the detective would be none the wiser. It pained Oswald to lie to Jim about what he was doing; and as a means of regret or guilt, Oswald avoided talking about the classes he was currently skipping and instead lavished about the two he actually was attending, which seemed fine enough for Jim, as the other man appeared genuinely interested in the topics Oswald brought to the table, probably assuming Oswald focused on them primarily due to the fact he enjoyed them most, or that their luncheons followed directly after Oswald attended them. Either way, Oswald was grateful he didn’t pry.

When Oswald was assumed to be doing homework, he worked over his notes and connections until he finally had one that would incriminate Fish in illegal activities enough to get her arrested, along with the added bonus of catching her working with known enemies of Falcone. For this little added bit, Falcone would not protect her; and Fish would go away for quite a while. Obtaining the manifest as evidence of these dealings ended up being a little more difficult than Oswald had assumed as he’d looked over the paperwork, shoving the files in his backpack to shuffle out the door with a smug smile on his face. Ten steps to the doorway was the last thing Oswald recalled before the spray of pain erupted against the side of his head and his vision faded to darkness.


	13. Laborious Fruit

Chapter 13

Laborious Fruit

Jim went by the college campus, planning to pick Oswald up so that the four of them could head out for a meal, as a reward for the hard work the younger man had been doing.

When he didn't find Oswald immediately, Jim didn't worry too much. After all, it was possible class had overrun, or Oswald had found something interesting to occupy himself with. However, as more and more students began leaving the campus, Jim became more and more concerned... but it wasn't until he went to the office and obtained Oswald's schedule that he realized the other man wasn't actually on campus.

Returning to the apartment, Jim went to check in Oswald's room... only to discover the notes that he'd made, spread out on the bed; notes on Fish and Falcone.

Back in his car, Jim began driving to the precinct, taking his phone out and calling Harvey. "I need your help. Oswald's missing."

"Good riddance," Harvey replied. "We should be popping out the champagne to celebrate... why are you worried? I'm sure the little rat can get himself out of any trouble he's managed to worm his way into."

"You owe me," Jim retorted.

There was silence... and then a heavy sigh on the other end. "You thinking he stuck his nose someplace he shouldn't and got grabbed?"

"I found some notes he left... I suspect I know where he's gone," Jim answered. "Can you meet me here?" He rattled the address off to Harvey.

"Yeah... I won't let you get yourself killed alone. I'll be there in five." Harvey hung up.

Blinking Oswald groaned as the thrum at the back of his skull registered pain. Within moments his eyes shot open as the full realization came back to him where he actually was. Jerking his head up revealed him to be back in one of the main offices of the building he had been trying to exit. His hands were numb, tied behind his back with duct tape, and his waist and legs were tied to the chair he had been placed in making him quite immobilized. From the fact the sun was now down, Oswald realized he must have been out for a couple hours.

There were two men sitting across from him that noticed his stirring and chuckled amongst themselves. “Rise and shine sleeping beauty,” one of the men addressed him with amusement.

Oswald’s throat went dry as his mouth worked to catch up with the thoughts he had spinning out of control. This was bad… really, really bad. He licked his lips before giving his captors a strained smile, “Gentleman! I know what you’re thinking right now, but I want you to consider letting me go.”

The two looked at each other and shared a raucous laugh. Standing from behind the office desk the two had been sitting playing cards, they walked over regarding him curiously. The larger of the two men moved forward leaning inches from Oswald’s face, his lips parted to show an array of bad teeth with equally bad breath as he spoke, “Now why would we do something like that?”

Keeping his smile in place even though his senses reeled to remain in the same few inches of this man’s halitosis, Oswald spoke his nervousness escaping in short breaths, “Because I know what Fish is paying you, and I can pay you more!”

Seeming bored, the man rose to his full height moving across the room to where the roll of duct tape had been placed at the end of the desk. He ripped a six inch piece off and moved towards Oswald, “And end up like you? Yeah right. I’m not getting on Fish’s bad side. Nothing you got is worth crossing that woman believe me, so why don’t you do us both a favor and shut up.”

Oswald tried to counter, but was silenced with a violent slapping of tape over his mouth.

It didn't take long for Harvey and Jim to track down Oswald's whereabouts. They stayed outside for a while, watching to see how many people were going in and out of the building. Then, when it became apparent there wasn't anyone outside, they sneaked inside the building, quickly searching the offices in the hopes that Oswald hadn't been moved yet.

The men currently watching over Oswald had meandered back over to the desk they had been playing cards to resume their interrupted match while Oswald frantically squirmed trying to loosen the hold of the duct tape around his extremities. He was growing quite frantic as escaping Fish once was lucky, escaping death from her hands a second time would be a plum miracle!

Keeping just outside the door, Jim exchanged a few hand signals with Harvey and then the two entered the office where the two men were playing cards, having spotted Oswald tied up and gagged. They had their guns out and pointed at the men, having entered as quickly and quietly as possible.

By the time either of the men playing cards realized the officers were in the room, they had no time to react. They spun to face them holding their hands up and backing away from the pointing barrels. The one with bad teeth spoke now with obvious reticence, “Hey now, let’s not be stupid here; I’m sure we can work something out.”

Oswald’s eyes widened as he squiggled voicing muffled cries of elation to see the two detectives coming to his rescue. If it was a miracle he was hoping for, then he must have been blessed. 

Jim kept his gun pointed at the two men, even as Harvey gestured with his. "Take your weapons out. Put them on the ground... slowly... and kick them towards us."

"Are there any more of you?" Jim asked directly.

The two thugs shared a look. Hesitation laid thick in the air as the room went quiet. Deciding not to tempt fate, the largest of the men deposited his gun on the desk, and his companion begrudgingly followed suit, “You can’t come up in here like this… like you own the town. We own this town! You two are just dead men walking!” the smaller man hissed.

"Step back." Harvey gestured with his gun to 'encourage' the thugs to move away from the table.

Jim waited until the thugs were clear and then, still keeping his weapon trained on the men, moved over to free Oswald.

“Your funeral,” the smallest man grumbled under his breath before continuing to back away towards the door. Knowing it was only the two of them, he wasn’t about to challenge the two officers and darted through the door running as fast as his legs could carry him. The larger man swore and decided he had better leave as well rather than end up in jail.

Jim had torn the duct tape free of Oswald’s mouth as the goons darted for the door. He rocked nervously in the chair as he stuttered out quickly, “We have to get out of here; Fish is going to be here with reinforcements any time now!”

Jim quickly got Oswald untied. "Can you stand?" he asked, retrieving his gun and nodding at Harvey to let the other man know they were ready.

Oswald nodded shakily getting to his feet once his bonds were cut. He rubbed at his wrists momentarily before he smiled brightly leaning down to scoop up the backpack that the thugs had carelessly tossed beside the desk when they had tied him to the chair, “We’ve got her Jim!” Oswald pulled a manila folder from the bag shaking it vigorously at the detective, “I have documentation here tying her to criminal elements that will not only make sure you can convict her, but I have proof that she and Nikolai have shared transactions to build up a private empire together behind Falcone’s back! If Falcone finds out about those two, I can almost guarantee he won’t help her!”

Harvey shot Jim a look that implied he might be asking if his partner really wanted to put himself out for this guy.

Jim pretended not to see the look and stepped over to Oswald, eyes on the door... just in case anyone was coming back. "We'll take a look at it later. For right now, we need to get out of here.

Oswald nodded more than happy to get as far away from the danger Fish would pose if she managed to corner the three men in this back alley office. The three quickly made their way to the exit and after careful analysis that their way was clear, they quickly sprinted to the two undercover squad cars parked around the corner.

It wasn’t until Oswald and Jim jumped into Jim’s car to trail behind Harvey’s squealing tires and the scene where they’d found Oswald disappeared in the distance of the car’s rearview mirror did the fear for his life and elation of a timely rescue abate to be replaced by a new niggling anticipation. It hadn’t registered at the time when he was in danger, but now that it was just the two of them in the car, Oswald knew that he was going to have to answer to Jim eventually, and the man looked more than a little upset.

Oswald knew they’d have to go back to the station to submit their evidence, which would be a long process, so he had time to get Jim to see the ‘positives’ to his going behind his back to catch Fish. Surely he’d see everything he did was for the best? Right?

Swallowing hard, Oswald clutched at the report in his hand giving Jim a timid smile as he squeaked, “I couldn’t just stand by and wait for you, you know… I had to go after her Jim. Now that we’ve got solid evidence on her, once we lock her away, mother and I can return home. I’m sure you and Barbara will be pleased to have your abode less… occupied. Our lives can all get back to some sense of normalcy.” Oswald couldn’t maintain eye contact after he’d said this. His face burned with embarrassment for having to be rescued, and his words felt horribly placating to an issue he and Gordon had already addressed only a few months ago. Deep down, Oswald knew what to expect for this stunt and that it would be well deserved, but that didn’t mean he wanted to admit it or wouldn’t do his best to evade that fate if at all possible.

Jim took a deep breath, taking his time answering because he wanted to keep a lid on his temper... no matter how difficult it was to hold back. "We're not going to have this discussion now," he said. "We need to get to the station and submit the evidence." He needed time to calm down, even if he didn't say that.

Even though he was keeping to the speed limit, it didn't take long for Jim to reach the station and park outside next to Harvey's own car.

As the two pulled to a stop Jim’s stiff demeanor was not lost on Oswald even if Jim was keeping his anger in check, the held back emotion was practically palpitating off of him. Knowing better than to push the man at this juncture, Oswald muttered, “I need to make a phone call.” He hadn’t reached out to Falcone since this whole situation with Gordon had evolved, but the man would certainly want wind of what was going down as soon as possible.

"I think the phone call can wait," Jim replied. He got out of the car and waited for Oswald to join him. Although he wasn't making any attempt to hide how he felt from Oswald, he did now that they were at the station, not wanting any of the other officers to have some idea of what he might be thinking.

Oswald gave a small subdued nod warily following behind Jim into the station. The phone call could wait for a more convenient moment as Jim was sure to be busy enough filing the necessary paperwork to get the warrant they would need to arrest Fish once the evidence was all sorted out. Some of the officers recognized Oswald and gave looks of disapproval, but no one spoke to him. For his part, Oswald moved swiftly along with Jim relieved once they’d finally made it to Jim and Harvey’s desks. Harvey was already at his desk awaiting the two once they’d arrived.

Harvey's face didn't reveal anything as he waited for the two to reach them. "We'll go into one of the interview rooms." He didn't warn them not to say anything in case any of the other officers were on Fish's or Maroni's pay rolls... but the warning look he gave Jim made it clear.

Jim just gave a nod in acknowledgement.

Oswald still clutched the manila folder tightly to his chest fiddling his thumbs with the edges up until this point where he silently pulled it away from himself and handed it over to Jim to do what needed to be done with it, “I should probably let mother and Barbara know where we are,” he mumbled. It was getting late, and the two women would likely be worrying about them by now.

"I'd like you to stay within sight of me when you call them." Jim didn't say that he expected Oswald to remain within earshot. Despite the half-exasperated, half-knowing look directed at him by Harvey. Jim wasn't going to say outright that he expected Oswald to disappear or call Maroni anyway.

A flash of hurt registered on Oswald’s face knowing that he’d destroyed the trust he and Jim had acquired over the past couple months. He didn’t remark though merely lowering his eyes and giving a small nod. He couldn’t really blame Jim he supposed, but having to deal with both men looking on him disapprovingly made him bristle as he snatched Harvey’s phone receiver and began dialing the house number.

Barbara answered seeing it was the station, “Hello Jim? Did you find him?” Her worry was notable from the tone of her voice.

Oswald’s throat became dry as he turned his back to the scrutinizing stare Harvey was giving him stating in hushed tones, “I… I’m fine Barbara. I’m here with Jim at the station… we wanted to call you to let you know we would be running late.”

Barbara seemed relieved to hear his voice, “Oswald! Thank god you’re alright! When Jim came home saying he couldn’t find you at the school or here, Gertrude and I were getting nervous something may have happened to you!”

Oswald smiled slightly to know that Barbara cared so much about his welfare, “Everything is okay… we have a bit of paperwork to process, so we likely won’t make it home for dinner. Let mother know not to worry.”

Barbara seemed subdued by this and told Oswald that she would let her know as the two finished the conversation and Oswald hung up the phone. Looking back at the detectives, he could tell both men had been listening intently to his conversation which made Oswald blush with both embarrassment and frustration.

The three men made their way to the interrogation room with minimal attention being drawn to them as they went, and once the door had been shut sealing the three inside, Oswald licked his lips and leaned in to whisper to Jim, “I know you don’t want me in contact with seedier elements, but you have to let me get a hold of Falcone. He’s the only man in this city that is a deciding factor in whether or not you’re able to put Fish away. I know you have no reason to trust me, but please, having this man on our side is the only way we’re going to win this thing.”

Jim frowned. While his first instinct was to outright refuse, he couldn't help but accept that Oswald probably had a point. At the same time, he wasn't happy with being in the position of putting Oswald straight back into Falcone's clutches. "I'll accept you might be right, but I'm not going to have you contacting him without me there... or at least able to listen in." His voice was just as quiet as Oswald's... but there was no hiding his concern.

Oswald hesitated a moment before acquiescing with a nod, “Okay… let’s get him on the phone.”

Knowing the best way to reach Falcone, Oswald dialed a private number the man had given him while Jim listened to the tapped line. The phone rang for several moments before a gruff voice came across the phone, “Who is this?”

Oswald licked his lips stuttering a bit, “Uh, it’s me, sir... Oswald Cobblepot.”

“Cobblepot? Why are you calling me,” the voice sounded wary and slightly annoyed.

“I… I have dire news to share with you sir. It’s about Fish, I have something you’re going to want to see, and as odd as it might sound, I’m going to have to speak with you further from Gotham City precinct,” Oswald spoke carefully as he listened for long moments without receiving a reply before Oswald queried a worried, “Sir?”

A deep intake of breath was heard from the other side of the phone before Falcone responded, “This had better be worth my time.”

He hung up the phone before Oswald could respond, and Oswald gave an apprehensive glance in Jim’s direction knowing the detective had heard everything, “He’s on the way… let’s hope he’s as interested in what we have as I think he’ll be.”

Jim had listened to the conversation without saying anything. "We should probably meet him outside," he said, once Oswald had hung up. Even though a lot of the police officers in the precinct were corrupt, he still wasn't sure having Falcone just walk into the precinct would be a good idea.

Oswald agreed readily, “That’s a good idea. We should make a copy of these documents to give him when he arrives. He’s going to want to see these transactions with his own eyes.”

Jim nodded. "I'll do that now." He paused long enough to make sure Oswald was following him and then headed through to one of the smaller offices, so that he could use the photocopier to make the copies of the documents.

Harvey didn’t follow, and having a chance to be alone with Jim again gave Oswald an unsettling wash of emotions. “I… I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I should have come to you first before going in that warehouse on my own… I just wanted to show you that I had it in me to right the situation, but it kind of blew up in my face.” Oswald said this of course to Jim’s back as the man made copies. He wasn’t even really sure why he felt the need to say it; Oswald supposed on some level he hoped to return to the man’s good graces, but mostly, deep down he hated the thought he’d disappointed Jim.

"It wasn't just going to the warehouse on your own." Jim spoke in an even tone, even while he worked on making the copies. "You've been compiling this evidence for a while now, which leads me to the conclusion that you've been investigating during the times the rest of us believed you were at college."

Oswald opened his mouth to reply thinking to lie, but the thought of such an action compounding into getting him into a deeper hole was not lost on him, and so he instead decided to omit the full truth, “I’ve been going to school, I just missed a couple classes to follow some leads. You didn’t seem to want me involved, and I was tired of sitting on the sidelines.” Oswald left out the fact that he’d missed two of the classes he had been supposedly attending in their entirety. That fact would not go over well with Jim at all Oswald knew, but he was sure that he could make up the difference and pull off a C with a month still left in the two classes even if Gus did bomb the tests. He could chalk that up to test anxiety.

This time, Jim turned around to look at Oswald. "So when you acted suspiciously that time I came to pick you up for lunch?" he pressed, fairly certain now that he'd caught Oswald either in the act of returning... or about to skip his class.

Oswald’s cheeks darkened and his lips spread into a thin-lined grimace as he looked away from Jim’s stare, “I… yes. I skipped class that day.” Oswald nodded solemnly his agreeance before looking towards the door, “Are you going to work on getting a warrant to arrest Fish after I talk to Falcone?” Oswald changed the subject hoping Jim would drop their recent line of conversation.

Jim would have pushed further, since he was fairly sure it wasn't just 'one time', but he decided to question Oswald when they were in private and not where one of his fellow officers could overhear. "I'm going to be there for when you talk to Falcone, and then I'm going to get the paperwork completed."

Smiling tightly, Oswald shook his head, “Jim, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea… Falcone isn’t the type of man to like to feel compromised. It’d probably be best if you wait outside the car, and let me handle this.” Oswald didn’t really want Jim to be a part of that conversation regardless as it would not only put Jim, his mother, and Barbara in danger, but aspects of Oswald’s original deal with Falcone could come out regarding his agreement to spy for the man. Even though he’d not been in contact with Falcone for some time, Oswald was hoping that with this newfound information the two could come to an agreement that their mutual debt was paid in full.

Jim frowned. "I'm not sure I want you meeting him alone." He didn't outright say that he didn't trust Oswald not to agree to something he shouldn't... even if that was strongly implied in his voice.

Oswald seemed to get Jim’s drift and squirmed uncomfortably under the other man’s gaze as he gently insisted, “You won’t be far… and not to worry, I can handle this truly.”

"I don't want you saying or agreeing to anything you shouldn't be," Jim stated. "I'm not sure I can trust you to handle anything right now."

Oswald cringed slightly at Jim’s response a twinge of anger flushing through him, “I’m not incompetent James! You don’t really know what I’m capable of, and that’s half your problem!” As he said this, he pointed viciously at Jim letting the heat of his guilt and anger coalesce. Looking stunned by the words he let come out of his mouth, Oswald backed away shaking his head and losing eye contact, “I… I don’t know what came over me,” he whispered, “I’m sorry. We’re running out of time. He’s going to be here any time now, and as much as you don’t trust me, I just don’t want to get you involved any more than you need to be with Falcone… he’s a dangerous man.”

Jim considered Oswald's words... and the fact that he knew they didn't have enough time. "If you're going to talk to him alone, you're going to be wired," he stated. "This is for your protection as well. I want to know if he threatens you or tries to force you into doing anything." Jim did care about Oswald... no matter how irritated with and disappointed he was in the other man right now.

Oswald nodded in agreement, "Of course, whatever you need," Oswald sighed relaxing a bit. The last thing he wanted was to have Jim as a chaperone.

The two finished up making the copies they needed and situated the wire into Oswald's shirt before moving outside. Oswald moved to the side of the building as he waited nervously for Falcone to show up.

Jim didn't follow Oswald, no matter how much he wanted to. Contenting himself with the fact that the other man was carrying a wire, he remained in the police station with Harvey... knowing that, if anything did happen to go wrong, they'd be able to get outside fast and deal with it. He tried to ignore Harvey's grumblings about how Jim should know better than to trust a rat like Oswald, who'd probably turn on Jim the moment it benefitted him.

Oswald hadn’t waited long before the black stretch limousine idled slowly around the corner as if stalking him. For his part Oswald nervously smiled at the vehicle, and when it came to a stop with him in front of the passenger door, he hesitantly opened it and climbed inside.

Sitting in the middle of the main seat sat Falcone, so Oswald wormed his way into the side seat to the left to address him. Falcone watched Oswald stumble in clumsily with his bad leg studying him not unlike a cat that watched a mouse waiting for the right moment to pounce. He did not smile, but he also did not look happy to see him, “So you’ve called me out here of all places? I hope you aren’t expecting any more favors from me.”

Oswald swallowed hard as he fixed the man with an almost manic look, “No, no sir. I, I have something that I think you’re going to be very interested in.”

Falcone looked Oswald up and down warily before stating, “For your sake, I hope so. I’d hate to have our… friendship tested.”

Oswald shook his head vigorously obviously not wanting that either, “This has nothing to do with me sir I assure you. You wanted information, and that’s what I have here,” as if he needed to emphasize the fact, Oswald tapped the folder in his shaking hands.

Falcone’s eyes drifted down to the folder examining it skeptically before reaching his hands out to retrieve it from Oswald, “So let’s have a look then.”

Nervously, Oswald handed it over as he watched the man in wide-eyed anticipation.

Falcone proceeded to meticulously scan through the documents. The more he pursed the deeper the frown on his face grew as he took in the material and its connotations. Finally having seen enough his gaze moved back to Oswald, “I take it that you know what this means?”

Oswald smiled now somewhat impishly, “I told you I would prove to you that she’s been betraying you all along.”

Falcone seemed to take no joy in his findings though as he stated carefully, “You’ve done well little bird. Perhaps you’re seeking a reward then?”

Oswald beamed at the recognition happy to have been praised by the man, “Well, I suppose that brings us to the reason we’re sitting next to the police station…” Oswald’s eyes glistened now his intent quite clear as Falcone considered him.

Finally Falcone tilted his head to the side giving Oswald a curious glance, “You know, I have ways of taking care of this myself.”

Oswald nodded, “I, I know sir, but as a favor to me, I want to make this legit… for personal reasons…” in all honesty the thought of Fish suffering untold tortures at the hands of Falcone was quite tempting, but he had a wire on, and any stone cast down that path would certainly cause him no end of troubles with Jim. He’d made his mother a promise that he’d be better, and this felt right. Besides, with Falcone’s approval and influence, Oswald was sure that Fish would rot in prison for the rest of her days.

Falcone gave Oswald a humorless smile and a nod, “Consider it done.”

Oswald wanted to cheer at his victory, and a broad smile now plastered his face, “Thank you sir!”

Falcone smiled now Oswald’s joy infecting him as he addressed him, “You know, once this… situation is over, I’m going to need someone to run Fish’s club. Perhaps you’d be interested?”

Oswald’s face flushed, as much as he wanted to leap at the offer, to take it would seal him into perpetuating the cycle everyone he cared about was working so hard to remove him from. Looking down he sighed heavily, “I… I can’t.”

“I’m sorry?” Falcone seemed genuinely surprised.

Feeling a bit crushed, Oswald continued, “I’ve… I started school, and I’ve been… working to change tracks.”

Oswald had expected the man to look at him as if he were crazy or stupid, but Falcone merely took in what he said giving him a soft smile and a small pat on the knee, “I understand. You’re young Cobblepot, and you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. This business, it’s not for growing old in.”

Not believing what he was hearing, Oswald stared at Falcone a hint of disbelief in his eyes, “But… I thought...”

Falcone’s eyebrows raised, “You thought what? That I’d hold this lifestyle up as the best possible avenue to take?” He shook his head, “Oswald, I’m too old to retire, but I can tell you that being in this life has taught me that I wish I’d have made some choices differently. When you’re in as deep as I am, there’s no turning back. You’ll forever be watching over your shoulder waiting for that bullet in the dark. But you? You can walk away; so do it.”

Oswald was awestruck. Could that really be it? Would Falcone really let him just bow out here and now without further consequence? He gave the man a dumbfounded nod having nothing else to really say as he made his way out of the limousine.

Falcone gave him a warm smile as Oswald went to close the car door, “Good luck Cobblepot.”

Oswald gave him a small smile and a whispered, “Thank you sir,” as he closed the door. The car lurched into gear and slowly disappeared into the night as Oswald watched it go.

Jim had remained tense throughout the conversation... partly because he was worried about Oswald; but also because he didn't want either man to say anything that Jim knew he'd have to respond to. Right now, his nature was warring with what he knew he had to do.

Having heard the final exchange, Jim stepped towards the door of the station... but remained inside just long enough to see Falcone's car drive away, before he stepped out to join Oswald.


	14. Moving On

Chapter 14

Moving on

Hearing the familiar footsteps he'd come to recognize as Jim's, Oswald gave him a sideways glance stating as a twinge of sadness at the lost opportunity he'd given up with Falcone sat heavily in his mind, "It's done. You can get the warrant now, and Falcone won't interfere."

Jim nodded, but he heard the slightly sad note in Oswald's voice. "Are you all right?" He gentled his tone, so none of his earlier irritation came through.

Oswald nodded lightly, "I'm okay... just tired." What he didn't say was the fact he'd officially cut ties with Falcone meant that he'd also made a commitment to follow through with leaving his old lifestyle behind, and doing so left him feeling a little trapped.

"I'll take care of the warrant... and then drive you back to the apartment," Jim said. "After we discuss what we need to, you can get some rest."

Oswald grimaced at the 'discuss what we need to' remark knowing exactly what that would entail. It had been a couple months since the last time Jim had spanked him, but he remembered it all too well, and the mere thought of it looming in his future made his stomach tighten and his blood run cold. He didn't think anything he could say would talk Jim out of spanking him, and as much as he hated to admit it, the guilt rising up inside him let him know that on some level he knew that he deserved what was coming. Some part of him wanted to argue against the logic just to try and evade punishment, but he instead merely nodded looking like a condemned man resigned to his fate.

"Come inside," Jim directed. "I'll take the wire off you." He was tired, the adrenaline having faded long ago... but he still had to deal with Oswald's actions, so he was trying to hide just how long this day had been, particularly given the amount of fear he'd had for the other man. He figured he'd grab some coffee before driving them both back.

The warrant took another two hours to procure being so late in the day, but since Jim's stint in Gotham, he'd become aware of a few judges that seemed to actually hold the law to some degree and not be corrupt.

For his part, Oswald seemed to be lost in his own little world sitting in the chair in front of Jim's desk. He didn't seem overly pleased to hear the news that they could finally go home looking quite grave as the two climbed into the car. He glanced over nervously at Jim stating weakly, "It's getting rather late, and I have class in the morning, maybe we can push off our discussion until tomorrow night?"

"I don't think putting it off is a good idea for either of us," Jim replied seriously, as he began driving back to the apartment building. "You'll just be dreading it all day tomorrow and likely won't get any more sleep tonight." He wasn't really relaxed, even with the adrenaline having worn off. It was hard to forget what might have happened.

He didn't respond. Jim was right, he'd likely not sleep if they'd waited, and having that much time in between getting the spanking over and waiting would have been excruciating. Just the past couple hours was rough. There was still Barbara and his mother to face once they reached the flat as well. It was already going on nine, and Oswald wondered absently if they had eaten dinner without them. Now that it was just he and Jim, the mix of emotions that came with his fear of what was to come, the fear he'd already faced, and disappointing those he cared about culminated into a storm within him, and he grimaced fighting back an overwhelming tide of anguish as tears welled up in his eyes and spilled silently from his eyes. He sniffed wiping at them embarrassed that Jim hadn't even laid a hand on him, and here he was already crying again like the last time they'd done this except much sooner this time.

Jim noticed Oswald's state out of the corner of his eye and held back a small sigh as he reached out to pat the other man's shoulder. "I know it's not pleasant, but you at least know what to expect. And once it's over, I'm not going to keep holding it over your head or blaming you."

Oswald let out a watery, "I know… I didn't mean…" he paused sucking in a breath before continuing almost inaudibly, "I'm… I'm sorry I disappointed you."

Jim parked the car outside the apartment building and turned to face Oswald. "Being disappointed isn't what concerns me as much as you putting yourself in danger. You could have been killed, Oswald. You were lucky I found what you were working on... luckier still that I was able to convince Harvey to help me rescue you." He didn't raise his voice, but his words still carried a heavy weight.

Getting out of the car and heading inside, Oswald couldn't keep Jim's gaze as he looked away in shame, "I made a mistake; I know. I should have come to you first, but I just got so caught up in wanting to prove myself to you that I let reason slip. I was so afraid you'd shut me down... I was foolish." As he said this, another wave of tears cascaded down Oswald's cheeks and he wiped at them furiously not wanting the women to see his tears once they'd made it in the flat.

"This isn't the kind of thing you can handle alone," Jim said. "I might not be able to trust most of my fellow officers... but I still have to rely on Harvey to have my back." He stepped into the elevator, waiting for Oswald to join him.

Oswald nodded lowering his eyes, "I know," he all but whispered as he boarded the elevator looking quite contrite as he stood next to Jim his shoulders slumping. He followed quietly as the elevator opened and the two made their way down the hall back to the apartment.

As they approached the door, Oswald's anxiety began to spike, and his palms began to sweat. Every fiber of his being wanted to avoid what was coming, but from all previous encounters, he knew there was no escaping this fate once Jim had his mind set. He glanced at Jim nervously but was unable to say anything.

Jim placed a hand on Oswald's shoulder, giving him what he hoped was a reassuring squeeze... but kept his hand there to guide the other man to the door of the apartment, where he paused to take his key out and unlock the door.

The hand had been reassuring, but it had also caused a shiver to run up his spine as Oswald felt the power in its grip, which made his mind wander to think of the hand's other attributes that he was quite familiar with.

Jim had unlocked the door, and the two had moved down the entrance of the apartment. The women had obviously been quite worried as when the men made their way forward, both had been sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and had frozen in their conversation rising to move over to the men.

Gertrude looked on the verge of tears as she moved over to grab Oswald's face in her hands, "Oh Oswald! Where have you been! We have been so very worried for you!" She pulled him forward kissing him several times on the forehead. Her hands were shaking as she held his face, and Oswald needing to reach out to her clasped his own hands over hers while she kissed the top of his head. Tears leaked out her eyes as she did so causing the same from Oswald as he hated to see her so distraught.

"I'm sorry I worried you mother," Oswald's voice cracked.

Barbara also looked on the verge of tears just from watching the scene unfold in front of her. She grasped Jim's hand giving it a gentle squeeze as she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, "I'm glad you both came home safe," she stated softly.

Jim smiled and squeezed Barbara's hand in return. "I'm sorry it took so long to come back... there was a lot we needed to take care of." As tired as he was, he knew the evening wasn't over.

Barbara nodded in understanding as she looked over at Oswald, "Do you guys want to eat dinner… or uh, do you need to take care of something first?"

Oswald hearing their conversation visibly cringed to know that everyone in the room seemed to already know what was about to happen to him. His lip trembled as a pout formed on his lips. He gave his mother a kiss on the forehead before pulling away from her looking to Jim now with a pleading look that he might somehow grant him a reprieve from the awful fate that he already knew to expect. Still there was hope that Jim would see his contrite face and feel pity for him.

Jim's initial thought had been to wait and take care of it after they'd eaten... but looking at Oswald's face, he didn't think the other man would handle the wait very well. "I think we'd better eat afterwards." He squeezed Barbara's hand once more before releasing it and stepping over to Oswald.

Oswald shrank away looking down as is his fear got the better of him before he glanced up nervously at Jim obviously not wanting to proceed.

The two women realizing where this was going backed out of the away towards the kitchen table. Gertrude looked stricken, and Barbara grabbed her hand gently, "Hey, why don't we go sit down in the living room.

Gertrude nodded weakly finding it hard to tear her eyes away from her distraught son.

Watching the two women depart, Oswald turned back to Jim his lip quivering now his voice wavering, "Let's get this over with," as he said this, he ducked his head and moved quickly towards his bedroom.

Jim followed Oswald towards the bedroom, deciding not to say anything about what had happened. He didn't need to point out it had been a mistake; by now, Oswald would be well aware of that. And he just wanted to get this over with as well.

Oswald's whole body felt numb as they made their way to his bedroom, and as the two men moved inside the room, and Oswald heard the soft click of the door closing in finality, his stomach tightened sickeningly. The closer it got to actually following through with this, the harder it was to think of anything else. Oswald trembled now in anticipation waiting for Jim to make a move.

Along the way, Jim had picked up the same brush he'd used on Oswald last time. He didn't expect the other man to find it easy to submit and so Jim stepped over to Oswald, reaching out and taking a firm hold of his hand. Without saying a word, he began to lead Oswald towards the bed.

Oswald let himself be directed although his feet felt like they were not his own moving forward beyond his own volition.

Reaching the bed, Jim took a seat and drew Oswald round to his side. "I don't think there's anything else we need to talk about regarding this," he said seriously. "By now, I hope you realize how and why today was unacceptable." He used his grip on Oswald to tug the other man across his lap, having placed the brush to one side on the bed next to him.

Oswald knew, and hearing Jim address it made him cringe inwardly as he let out a weak watery, "Yes." This was all happening too fast Oswald's mind reeled as he was upended now staring at the ground feeling quite helpless to be anything other than a passenger on this ride.

Jim didn't want to drag this out any more than he had to, knowing both of them were tired and needing to eat before they slept. He bared Oswald without wasting any time and then lifted his hand, bringing it down in a crisp swat at the crest of the other man's backside.

Oswald had stiffened shaking before the first slap ever connected. He found himself acutely aware of the swiftness Jim had taken his pants down and the wave of shame he felt in that act alone. Just the first swat had radiated that familiar sting he'd grown to dread, and it was just as awful as he'd remembered.

Jim settled quickly into a pattern of swats, going from left to right and working his way down to Oswald's thighs. He then started over from the top, covering skin he'd already paid attention to. "I appreciate you were trying to do the right thing and that at least some of your reasons were noble. But you didn't think about your actions and how they would affect people who care about you.

Jim's words echoed in his mind as he replayed the events of the day, and dwelling on his lack of forethought accompanied by the heat in his backside worked to shame Oswald further as the tears came easily, "I wanted so badly to show you what I could do... to prove you were underestimating me that I lost sight of the dangers. I'm sorry," Oswald hitched doing his best to take the spanking without a fuss, but the fact Jim was now covering the same areas as well as his thighs had Oswald jerking and hissing when Jim's palm struck a particularly sensitive spot.

"You need to think more about what could happen to you. I'm sure you wouldn't want to leave your mother alone." After two swats, Jim paused to pick up the brush. He took a tighter hold of Oswald as he brought it down... not too hard, but still firm.

"No… I don't" he moaned pitifully thinking about his mother's face and how she had looked so pained when he'd come home safe with just the threat of being harmed. If he actually had been killed, it would have destroyed her, and that made Oswald feel sick. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't realized Jim had picked up the brush until its hard surface sent a surprising vibrant sting through his left ass cheek. His legs kicked up and Oswald's back arched as he screamed out in a high pitched screech, "Ow! Oh god Jim! Please no brush! No brush!"

Jim forced himself to ignore Oswald's plea, knowing that stopping now would give the other man the wrong impression. He brought the brush down with the same amount of force he'd used in the first strike. "This is going to stop, Oswald. Endangering yourself is going to stop. Keeping me out of the loop is going to stop."

"I know! I won't anymore! I promise I'll stop!" Oswald whimpered pitifully as it went unsaid that Jim was not going to heed him any mercy in this way. No, he was just going to have to lay here and accept what Jim planned to dish out to him, and this fact coupled with Jim's words pained him to no end as Oswald's body now jerked in time with the rhythm of the swats being delivered along with releasing small gasps of pain every time the brush made contact.

Jim continued bringing the brush down, covering every inch of Oswald's backside, before he began again from the top... this time putting a little more force behind the strikes, although he kept the speed the same.

Oswald was already crying within minutes of the spanking beginning mostly because of the anxiety he had felt up until this point. But, now that Jim was bringing down more impact with the brush and working across already tender flesh, Oswald couldn't help but to reach back to interfere with Jim's work as he wailed, twisted, and jerked to remove his bottom from Jim's lap, "I can't take anymore! Jim Please! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Jim paused... but only so that he could take Oswald's hand and move it to the small of his back. He tightened his grip around the other man and began bringing the brush down in harder and faster strokes... forcing himself not to listen.

As he was pinned without further recourse other than to wiggle lamely but otherwise make no influence on his positioning or anything for that matter, Oswald finally went limp letting out a gut wrenching sob no longer able to articulate his desire to be free from the incessant burning pain that shot through him now. All there was left now was to accept it.

He had known full well what to expect when he had done what he did, but he had also been so sure that if his plan had succeeded that he would win the day and somehow come out on top of all this. Jim would have seen him as a man and congratulated him instead of spanking him. This of course he realized was delusions of grandeur all along. He had put himself in harm's way and had acted foolishly, and Jim was making sure that point was very clear now as he felt so very far away from that image of a man he had hoped to be and very much into the image of an errant child that didn't have the sense to see he was putting himself in danger. That was in fact what he was here, and this thought made him cry all the more as his shame welled to a new high.

This wasn't easy to do... it didn't get easier. Part of Jim thought it should probably never be easy. He tried to force himself to continue... but the reality was that he could only land a further two strikes with the brush before he had to stop, resting his hand on Oswald's lower back and gently rubbing.

Oswald hitched out lamely as he shuddered. His words were watery and broken, "I… I'm so sorry Jim! I swear I won't …I won't do anything like this again!" Oswald was relieved that the assault to his backside had stopped, but somehow his cries still came in an uncontrollable wash of emotion that spilled from him like a torrent now.

"I hope you won't, but if anything like this does happen again, there will be a repeat of what I've just done." Jim's voice was firm, though not cruel, and he kept his hand gently on Oswald's back, rubbing soothingly.

Oswald's voice was broken as he squeaked, "I know." He couldn't say anymore as his body quaked with another wracking sob as a testament to how well he did know and how badly he'd felt that Jim had felt the need to do it at all.

It wasn't the pain that made him cry now it was the inner disappointment and the relief that it was finally over. All of this lurking and hiding could now cease that Fish was going to be out of the picture and sadly that he'd cut off ties to his underground connections with Falcone and Jim had made sure he had with Maroni. He'd done what he'd set out to do with Fish, and thanks to Jim and Harvey had survived to tell the tale. Now Oswald knew he had to move on and finally take an initiative toward living a life that wouldn't be leading into certain self-destruction. It was a hard life to say goodbye to, but Oswald was tired, and he honestly was more than ready to leave it in the past for a goal he knew his newfound family would be happy to see him achieve. They had become more important to him than his own selfish desires, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt them or cause them pain if he'd gotten hurt.

Jim rubbed Oswald's back gently, allowing him to calm down in his own time, before he helped him up off his lap. "Do you want to wash your face before we heat up dinner and eat?" he asked, resting his hand on the other man's shoulder.

Oswald quickly pulled his pants up as he nodded lowering his gaze to look at his feet. His breath still hitched as he worked to stop crying so very thankful that the punishment was finally over. The wait had made it worse than it could have been even though now he still couldn't help reaching back to rub gently at the burning sensation he still felt radiating through his cheeks.

Unable to speak, Oswald let his shame rush him away from the scene to duck into the bathroom. Once there, he took a look at himself in the mirror, and seeing himself in such a state only served to upset him further as he let loose another wave of soft sobs covering his face in his hands.

Jim hesitated, a bit unsure of what he should do... what Oswald needed him to do. Walking to the bathroom, he knocked lightly on the door. "You'll feel better to have something to eat and drink," he called softly. He didn't add, 'And also to get some proper sleep...' even though he knew that would help too.

Oswald sniffled wiping at his face, "O…okay, I'll be out… in… in a moment," Oswald hitched trying to reduce the watery sound from his voice without much effect. It was taking so much to get himself together now as everything that happened leading up to him getting spanked as well as still having to face his mother and Barbara now after the fact left him feeling very embarrassed. Oswald reached shaking hands to the sink now as he turned the faucet on leaning over to splash cold water over his face in an attempt to wash away some of his shame.

After several minutes, Oswald did feel a little better, or at least he felt ready to face his family. They really were a family now he realized. Where it had been just him and his mother for so long, over these past few months, the four of them had blended into much more than just an awkward living situation. His mother was so happy here now he knew, and where his company had sufficed to give her what she had needed before, with Barbara, it was as if two lonely ships finally came to port. The two women practically did everything together as Gertrude was a motherly figure to all that allowed it, and Barbara had been lacking that in her life so badly that she'd clung to Gertrude's affections greedily.

Now the two spent most of their time gabbing away at the kitchen table or wandering about town to see the many sights. Barbara was quite well off with her gallery, so the two women could run about without much care, and this too made Oswald happy. He'd squirreled away that money of Maroni's to take care of her, but now he realized that Barbara was also there for them in that regard relieving some of the burden from Oswald's shoulders.

Oswald thought on all of these things as he wandered back down the hallway hearing their voices ring out across the kitchen. He could here Jim's voice now to, he seemed a lot less somber now that the ugly business of his spanking had been dished out, and they could get to the next juncture. He reached back absently to rub once more at the tender flesh that was his buttocks grimacing at the thought of having to sit on Barbara's very hard wooden kitchen chairs.

The two women and Jim were sitting at the table, and a spot was set for him with a steaming plate of food and an ice water he noticed. Barbara and his mother had made sure to heat up their dinners while Jim and he had been otherwise preoccupied. Oswald shuffled in flushing as they all watched him carefully sit. He murmured looking down, "This smells great ladies."

The two women smiled weakly, and Gertrude commented, "When you are done, if you two are still hungry, I have made chocolate mousse pie for dessert."

Oswald nodded but didn't remark further.

Gertrude turned her worried eyes over to Jim now. He could tell she was fighting to not run over to mother Oswald. Both Barbara and Jim had suggested she hold off speaking on the incident until after they'd had their dinner to make things less awkward for Oswald, but it was eating Gertrude alive to see Oswald so sullen.

While he was hungry and tired, Jim was far from unobservant. Between mouthfuls of food, he began trying to draw Oswald into conversation... making comments and asking questions that required more than a yes or no answer. He didn't reference at all the spanking, or mention the events leading up to it. Instead, his questions were more about the course... what Oswald might hope to do in the future, once it was over.

Oswald seemed to appreciate the attempt and willingly let himself be drawn into conversations about the classes he was actually attending and about maybe trying to attempt a playwright class to see if he could write his own play. Gertrude of course fawned over the idea, and Barbara encouraged it. By the end of their dinner, they all seemed to be back to normal for the most part.

Although with it being so late, Barbara suggested to Oswald that he try to go get a shower and get some sleep since he still had class in the morning, and this seemed to sully his mood remembering he was still dancing around ditching classes and there was a test in one of those classes he still needed to write a cheat sheet for Gus to be able to pass it. There was only three weeks left in the semester, and for that Oswald was glad. Then he could drop the façade and just take his classes himself.

He was a bit worried about his GPA now that he was starting to think about taking school more seriously. Gus was not the brightest candle on the cake, and even with Oswald providing him cheat sheets the ignoramus still managed to be barely passing the classes with a low C. Oswald tried not to think about it too much as he excused himself from the table and went to take a shower.

Barbara squeezed Jim's shoulder giving his temple a kiss as she took his plate from the table, "Why don't you head to get a shower yourself, and I'll meet you in bed in a few minutes."

Jim nodded his agreement and walked to the bathroom to wait for Oswald to finish. He'd noticed that the younger man had grown sullen and quiet again... and he wasn't sure what had triggered it, or if anything had... maybe Oswald was just tired, the same as Jim was.

When Jim had come to bed, Barbara noted the expression on his face seemed distant and concerned which worried her, "Is everything okay?"

Jim sighed and admitted, "I'm worried Oswald's behavior might be because of something I haven't found out about yet."

Barbara seemed perplexed, "Like what? I thought the whole Fish issue was put to rest. He's probably just shaken up still after what you two went through tonight."

Jim sighed. "Maybe... I don't know. I just can't shake the feeling that there's something else going on."

Barbara nodded, "Well, let's keep an eye out, and if I see anything fishy around the house while he's here, I'll let you know. Other than that, I don't know what we can do other than make sure he comes directly home after school until classes end in three weeks as a mark of lost in trust for his recent transgressions, but that's not going to go over very well if we do decide to enact a… uh… grounding. Do you think that's a bit extreme?"

"I don't expect he'll like it," Jim replied. "But I suspect that might be the best thing to do." He sighed.


	15. Floating to the Surface

Chapter 15

Floating to the Surface

The next morning while making breakfast, Barbara broached the subject with Gertrude while Oswald was still in the shower, “Jim and I were talking about Oswald’s welfare last night, and before we bring it up with him, I kind of wanted to talk to you about what Jim and I discussed.”

Gertrude was very attentive turning to Barbara, “Oh?”

Barbara nodded, “Oswald has broken all of our trust, and Jim is a bit suspicious that he might be hiding something from us. I suggested that due to recent events, it might be for Oswald’s best interest that he be picked up and come directly home after school, so that we can monitor his behavior a little better. I’m pretty sure Oswald is going to be very upset to hear this, and I wanted to find out if you agree with our stance.”

Gertrude listened carefully nodding as Barbara finished, “Yes… I …I trust your judgement. Now that you mention it, he was acting strange last night. I went to comfort him, but he didn’t want me to come in his room saying he had to work on homework. But this is not like my Oswald. I thought maybe he was still upset about getting his little tush punished, so I let him be. Maybe I should have pushed?”

Barbara shook her head, “No, we don’t want to make him edgy, but we do want to see if he’s up to something. Jim is going to say something to him when he comes out; I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page.”

Oswald had spent several hours making a cheat sheet for Gus the night before. He came out of the shower and into the kitchen now looking a bit haggard and tired. He hobbled over to Gertrude giving her a small peck on the cheek, “Good morning mother.”

Gertrude grabbed his face giving him a kiss on each cheek and on his forehead. She was still a bit shaken from what had happened the day before and quite thankful that her son had been returned home safe to her. She had Jim to thank for that, and she may have hesitated to agree to what Jim and Barbara wanted to do with Oswald prior to last night, but now she had no doubts as to the path Jim and Barbara had made for her son, “Please, sit, sit. Barbara has made pancakes for us,” she encouraged Oswald.

Barbara and Jim were already seated, and the food had been served on their plates, so Oswald nodded smiling at his mother as he moved over to the table easing himself into his seat. His ass was still rather tender from Jim’s application. He gave them a small nod, “Good morning,” he said his voice wore the mark of fatigue.

Jim noticed that Oswald looked tired, but if he was honest, he suspected it had more to do with how late they'd stayed up... though he planned to keep an eye on the younger man, just in case the tiredness persisted. "Good morning," he replied, his voice mild, waiting for Oswald to sit before he started eating.

Waiting long enough to be certain Oswald had eaten a good amount, Jim spoke in a mild voice. "I think there's something we need to discuss."

Oswald had been in mid stride to place a forkful of pancake in his mouth. He hesitated a moment before taking the bite as he studied Jim. He gave the man a small curt nod as an avenue to proceed. His eyes held in rapt attention to Jim’s own.

"What happened... while we have discussed it and how it was not acceptable, for the next several days or so, we all feel that, as well as being dropped off at school, you should be picked up, by me or Barbara, and brought straight back here." Jim's voice was calm, making it clear the three of them were presenting a united front.

Oswald said nothing for long moments. The piece of pancake becoming a dry lump in his throat as he swallowed. He didn’t know how he felt about what Jim had said; wasn’t the worst of everything over? Maybe Jim was just trying to keep him safe? Oswald took a drink of his ice water shaking his head, “No need to worry Jim; Fish’s people aren’t stupid enough to move against Falcone’s wishes. You really don’t have to worry about me.”

"While it's true you might be out of danger, I think it's going to take a while for things to settle and for you to be truly out of danger," Jim said, quietly and calmly. "But the danger isn't the only reason for this kind of structure. You did act on your own... and until I can be certain of being able to trust you not to do something like this again, this is what will happen."

Understanding of exactly what Jim was saying started to sink in, and Oswald’s cheeks darkened, “You… you’re putting me under house arrest?”

Barbara chimed in then as she leaned in to refill Gertrude’s coffee cup, “We’ve all discussed in depth how we feel about what happened Oswald, and… and…”

Gertrude finished for her patting her hand, “You have betrayed our trust my boy. We worry about you, and we only want what is best for you.”

Oswald’s expression shifted into something unreadable as his emotions ran the gamut of angry that they would propose such a thing especially now that the real threat was finally over, shock that all of them had untied against him like this, and hurt that it had come to this at all.

He sputtered wordlessly for a moment looking at each of them and lingering on his mother giving her the most hurt filled expression. He would have expected Barbara to stand with Jim, but he’d hoped his mother would not have taken such a ready stance against him. His mouth worked, lip trembling, “I… I don’t know what to say… I suppose it doesn’t matter what I say does it?” He swallowed hard looking back down at his plate. He plucked at the pancake now despondently feeling no longer hungry.

"What you have to say is important." Jim's voice was quiet, though still sincere. "But you aren't going to change any of our minds. I'm sure you understand the position your actions placed us all in... even without looking at the outright danger."

Oswald lowered his head, he truly did. It didn’t make this an easier pill to swallow though. He sighed, “If that’s the way it has to be…” a flare of anger surged through Oswald as he stood throwing his napkin on his plate in a bit of a huff, “I seem to have lost my appetite,” he growled as he jerkily stormed away from the table to gather his book bag from his room.

Gertrude held a hand to her neck looking like she might burst into tears at any moment.

Barbara sighed tiredly at the display as she laid a hand on Gertrude’s shoulder, “He’s just angry, but he’s going to get over it. This is for his own good, even if he doesn’t think so.”

Jim stood to start clearing the table. "I'll take Oswald to college and then go on to the precinct," he said.

Barbara nodded, “Alright. Tomorrow I’ll take him,” as she said this, Barbara moved quietly over to clear Oswald’s plate while Jim gathered his own dishes.

Gertrude went to the refrigerator to grab Oswald’s tuna sandwich. She reached into the cabinet to pull out a small bag of cookies throwing it in his lunch bag and looking guiltily at Barbara as the other woman walked up beside her observing what she’d done, “He didn’t eat enough breakfast,” Gertrude justified lightly shaking her head.

Barbara only smiled putting a gentle hand on her shoulder, “I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

Oswald’s mind was racing as he made his way back to his room; his lip was trembling in barely contained emotion. His chest felt tight as he snatched his bag violently shoving his books in its open maw as the only real outlet to his anger. He paused then sucking in a deep breath and just trying to wrap his head around this new revelation in his life; as if last night hadn’t been the culmination of what he thought was facing the repercussions of his actions, now he was also going to have even less freedom to come and go to appease his family’s sense of needing to regain trust in him. This was his life now, and he was just going to have to make the best of this situation until Jim and the rest of his family decided he’d made things right.

He sighed zipping and sliding the book bag over his shoulder as he moved to leave his room. He paused at the door a moment longer weighing his options and feeling rather limited now. It made him feel awful, and he knew it was going to take a while to redeem himself. This of course made him feel even worse knowing what else he had going on with Gus. He’d already paid the goon off, and he wished he could just be done the situation, but it was much too late to try and switch out with the man now. There would be no way the teachers wouldn’t notice the difference. Three more weeks he reassured himself; this would be all over then, and he could start again with a fresh try legitimately.

Having a new wave of confidence in his future plans, Oswald opened his bedroom door and hobbled down the hall and back to the kitchen. He gave Barbara and his mother a curt nod before focusing on Jim, “I’m ready to go when you are,” he stated with an air of finality doing his best not to look bitter about their choice to restrict him even though the room still lay heavy with the air of their last conversation.

Jim had gathered his things together for the day and as Oswald spoke to him, he nodded. "I'll come and pick you up when class is finished." He stepped over to give Barbara a quick kiss and smiled at Gertrude. "I'll see you both later," he said, then walking over to the door... but waited, in case Oswald's mother wanted to say a more personal goodbye... despite the bad mood her son was so obviously in.

Barbara whispered a, “Have a good day sweetie,” kissing Jim back.

Gertrude did wish to see Oswald off as was her usual routine, and she moved over to kiss him on the cheek, “Have a good day my handsome man.”

Oswald remained stiff still harboring resentment for her involvement in his further restriction, but he said nothing more other than a flat, “Good day mother,” before he turned on his heel walking out the front door that Jim was holding open for them.

Jim waited for Oswald to walk past him and then followed the other man from the apartment, heading to the elevator. "I understand that you're upset at these restrictions," he addressed Oswald, "but your mother wants what's best for you. This wasn't her idea... but she wants you to stay safe. We _all_ do."

Oswald sighed giving Jim a small nod of acknowledgement, “I know… I just …I assumed we’d moved past all of this after last night’s… discussion.” The elevator dinged open, and Oswald hurried into the opened doors to place himself at the back of the elevator. His mouth worked in obvious annoyance as Oswald’s eyes flitted up to take Jim in a moment. He looked away now shifting uncomfortably as Jim’s eyes locked onto his own. He found he couldn’t keep eye contact in his embarrassment; Jim and the rest of his family meant him well, but it didn’t make the loss of freedom any easier to accept.

As he stepped inside the elevator, Jim paused long enough to ensure they continued to be alone before addressing Oswald once the doors had closed. "We have moved past it... but broken trust isn't so easily repaired," he said seriously. "Your motives were good. How you went about doing it isn't something that should be repeated."

Oswald flushed, he was chagrined just thinking of how badly he'd managed to screw up with his grand plans to take down Fish. If it wasn't for Jim, he likely wouldn’t be alive right now worrying about something as trivial as passing these few college classes. He nodded, "I know that approaching things the way I did was dangerous  ...I could have been killed if you and detective Bullock had not come to my aide. I fully understand how badly I erred believe me!"

He purposely avoided remarking on the recovery of his trustworthiness since even now he was still breaking their trust. To have Jim bring it up so blatantly brought on a wave of guilt through Oswald as he considered how disappointed his family would be to find out what he’d been up to. It shamed him greatly to think of seeing his actions right now through their, sure to judge his choices poorly, eyes.

"I'm sure you do... at the same time, actions have consequences," Jim said. "But your mother doesn't deserve to have you annoyed with her." He didn't comment that maybe Oswald should talk to his mother, hoping the other man would take the hint without needing to have it spelled out.

Oswald sighed nodding, “I …I didn’t mean… She knows I was just upset about how everything you three decided my life was going to be like from now on just came out to me. My anger was not directed at her, but I’ll try not to let my feelings on the matter show overtly in the future,” his words said one thing, although as he said this, Oswald was carrying a significant pout stating otherwise just how unhappy he was at the moment just speaking on the matter. When the elevator opened, he quickly moved past Jim and towards the parking lot feeling rather caged in within the small confines and glad to be able to move freely again.

Jim wasn't really fooled by Oswald's words, but he didn't comment on it as he walked around to the driver's side of the car. He unlocked it and got in, waiting for Oswald to get in and put his seatbelt on before he put the car into gear and began driving.

Oswald followed suit tossing his backpack on the floorboard and slumping like a sack of potatoes into the seat (to which he immediately regretted as the momentary lapse of carefulness in lieu of his bad attitude sent a painful reminder through his very injured cheeks why he should have taken his time sliding into his seat.) His back went rigid as he adjusted himself not really able to find a comfortable angle to relieve the chafing he felt. Oswald did his best to ignore it as he clicked his seatbelt and stared miserably out the car window while Jim put the car in reverse.

Even though part of his concentration was on the driving, Jim attempted to draw Oswald into conversation. "If you'd like, I can come by the campus and we can take lunch together," he offered, wanting to give the other man a choice in that... even if Oswald didn't have a choice in much else.

Oswald glanced up taking Jim’s words in as he gave a small smile, “Uh… sure. But… I need some time to study before my next test, so maybe we can eat on campus?” Oswald knew he had to meet up with Gus, and didn’t want to be too pressed for time if Jim took him off campus.

Jim had agreed to eat on campus, and the two met up after Oswald’s second class at the cafeteria.

Oswald ate the lunch his mother had packed, and Jim bought a ham sandwich from one of the vending machines. Overall, not much was said out of the ordinary, but as time waned on, Oswald’s eyes kept darting to the clock before he finally excused himself biding Jim a hasty goodbye as he left the cafeteria. It was almost time to meet up with Gus, and Oswald needed to make sure the dolt had the cheat sheet he had stayed up half the night making for him.

Jim didn't really like the idea of sneaking around, since he would have preferred it if Oswald was honest with him. He didn't like the idea of acting like he didn't trust the other man, however, he was certain Oswald was hiding something... and so, instead of leaving after their lunch, he doubled back and followed Oswald as the man left to, hopefully, go to his classes.

Oswald hobbled swiftly down the corridors towards his third period class where he saw Gus pacing anxiously back and forth.

The man’s face showed instant relief to see Oswald approaching, “Where the hell have ya been?! I was starting ta think I was gonna have to take this test blind!”

Placing his bag on a nearby bench, Oswald dug about and pulled out the pages he’d worked on the night before to hand them begrudgingly to Gus. He whispered harshly, “Can you actually read the notes this time? I swear it’s beyond me that you can have the answers to a test and still manage a C-!”

Gus looked mildly offended as he snatched the papers from Oswald, “You’re lucky I agreed to sit through this boring ass shit for the measly pay yer giving me. If I’d have known it was gonna suck my brains out like this I’d have charged ya double!”

“You’re a heathen, Gus.” Oswald exhaled, his exasperation with the man was quite evident, “Just try to pass the class please. We both only have to do this three more weeks. I’ll even tell you what, if you can manage to pull a B- out of these classes, I’ll sweeten the deal and throw in another grand. Is that enough incentive to actually read the damn notes?” Oswald fumed as his jaw clenched in his irritation. He’d already paid the man ten grand to attend both of his last period classes, so the only leverage he had was to offer the man more money.

Gus smirked seeming much more amiable as he nodded, “Sure, sure. I’ll do my best.”

“See that you do,” Oswald snapped as he snatched his bag off the bench and stormed off down the corridor.

Jim frowned as he overheard the conversation, recognizing the man Oswald was talking to as one of the petty thugs in the city. While his first thought was to immediately confront Oswald, he instead decided to see if the other man had a good reason for paying someone else to take his tests. That was doubtful, but he began following Oswald, careful not to draw attention to himself by acting too sneaky... even though he had to make sure Oswald couldn't see him.

Oswald sighed heavily as he found an out of the way bench on the campus and eased down to sit on his still very sore bottom. He had three hours before Jim was due to pick him up again, so he dug about in his bag and pulled out a book that he’d packed just to pass the time lest he would be awfully bored.

Unwilling to confront Oswald straight away (especially not on school grounds and wanting to get all the facts straight first), Jim left, heading back to the precinct. Meeting Harvey, he described the man he'd seen Oswald interacting with and found he was in the system as he’d expected.

It wasn't that much of a surprise to Jim that Oswald was still using his contacts... though it was something of a disappointment. Still, Jim couldn't disregard the possibility he'd somehow misunderstood the situation and he rang the college to make an appointment with Oswald's teachers to discuss the other man's progress.

Oswald wasn’t any the wiser as the week drew on. He stayed in his room for the most part still feeling a lot of guilt for what he was actively doing and partly because he was still a little angry at all three of them for restricting him like this. He still came out for dinner and used the excuse of finals to keep everyone from bothering him further. Barbara and Jim knew better, but they decided mutually that to leave Oswald be until they got the full story would be best since it wouldn’t take much longer to piece together the truth.

Gertrude was left out of the loop for fear she’d give away key information to Oswald if she knew. Knowing that Jim would have to meet each teacher separately during their scheduled student meeting times after classes, Barbara offered her help by going to see the teachers while Jim researched Gus further. While Jim was at work, she’d followed up with the appointments Jim had set in motion through Oswald’s academic advisor.

It was an all-day affair for Barbara moving from one teacher’s daily personal hour to meet with students to another. The meeting with Oswald’s drama and writing teachers revealed that Oswald was in fact attending his morning classes, but just as Jim had feared (and Barbara was saddened to find out through speaking to them), the meetings with his two afternoon course teachers for biology and Algebra revealed Jim’s suspicions to be true. From the description Barbara had given of Oswald, both teachers seemed completely surprised and attested they’d never seen the man she’d described.

This didn’t go over well with the school board, academic dishonesty was a severe charge, and only because Jim had been able to convince them that Oswald had been in the witness protection program, which was a quasi-lie, was Oswald able to be kept from being expelled. The two classes he had falsely attended would be turned into an incomplete (which was better than an F) so that Oswald could retake the classes in the following semester, but he would be considered withdrawn from the two courses as of the following week. The other young man taking his classes would not be allowed to step foot on their campus again since he was obviously not interested in furthering his education. With probable cause to remove Gus from the school, Jim readily agreed to handle the removal of Gus the next course he was expected to attend and put a stop to it.


	16. Progress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it took quite a while to get this story updated these past few chapters, but hopefully anyone that is still reading will be pleased with the final conclusion :)

Chapter Sixteen

Progress

It had been a week and a half since the incident with Fish’s men, and Oswald was glad the week was coming to a close; it was bad enough preparing for the finals he had actually been attending let alone the ones he hadn’t. His literature class demanded him to write a 5000 word paper on a specified famous author and for his drama class he had to find time to act out a scene with a class mate (he used the time he was meant to be attending his other classes to do this part of the time, and Jim had agreed to let him meet the other student on the weekend at the college (with him or Barbara dropping him off and picking him up to master the scene.) Of course there was also memorizing all the terminologies for the biology course as well as having to self-teach algebra to himself. Luckily he had enough of a background in algebra to do so! Still, it had been rather stressful.

It was Thursday now, and Oswald was thankful he only had one more day before the weekend. He’d finished his morning classes for the day and had settled onto one of the benches with his technical calculator ready. Every test day for his Algebra course Oswald had worked out a system for Gus to snap a photo of the page and send it to him in a text. He would then proceed to do the questions and text Gus back the answers. This system seemed to work out well enough for the tests that Gus could not avoid taking without failing the class entirely.

Gus had just snapped the first page and sent it Oswald’s way before inserting his ear buds and turning on his music awaiting Oswald’s first test responses to come his way. He never noticed the two officers move up behind him with dour grimaces on their faces all the while as he bobbed his head lost in the song he was listening to.

Harvey and Jim both approached Gus from behind. While they had their guns holstered, neither had drawn, as they didn't expect to have to get into a gun fight. Jim allowed Harvey to take point and the older man stepped forward, his hand landing heavily on Gus' shoulder. "It's time to move out." His voice was calm, but he was prepared for any kind of reaction they might get.

Jim moved to Gus' other side... just in case the thug decided to make a run for it. Or tried to take a swing at either of them. Jim didn't have a high estimation of his intelligence and so was prepared for anything to happen.

Gus jerked in surprise when Harvey’s hand landed on his shoulder as he leaned his head back looking from side to side at them. His face registered a dumbstruck awe, “Uh… yeah, yeah sure. I don’t want any trouble.”

Just then, Gus’ phone vibrated on the desk, and the screen lit up with a text. The display showed a list of answers and the words, ‘Send the next page.’ Oswald’s cell phone number was shown to be the message sender.

Jim leaned over to look at the screen, then picked up the phone. "I'm confiscating this for the time being." He shared a glance with Harvey.

Harvey nodded to Gus. "I'll take care of him."

Oswald waited impatiently for long minutes growing anxious, what was that buffoon doing? The test was only fifty minutes, and Oswald was going to need time to do the next page. Gus was definitely NOT going to get any more money out of him of that much Oswald was sure! Letting out an aggravated sigh, Oswald texted once more, ‘Did you get my last text? Send the second page!!!’ Moron, Oswald thought as he fumed leg jittering in his apprehension to get on with the test.

It didn't take long for Jim to track down where Oswald was. The campus wasn't huge, and he guessed the younger man would want to be close to Gus, to make sure there was as little delay as possible.

As he spotted Oswald on one of the benches, Jim approached the younger man from behind, speaking in an even tone as soon as he was within earshot. "That doesn't look like sitting down to a test."

Oswald drew up stiffly his blood running cold and the hair on the back of his neck rising to the tone of Jim’s voice. He quickly spun about sputtering, “Jim! This… this isn’t what it looks like! I… I…” Oswald’s eyes were wide with apprehension; he was caught red handed he knew, and he didn’t really know what to say, but his mouth hung agape now as he tried to think of something to get himself out of the mess he’d created.

Jim held up a hand to forestall any further protests Oswald might make. "I think we should discuss this in further detail back at the apartment," he said, before holding his hand out. "I'd like your phone, please." Despite the use of the word please, it was more of an order than a request.

Oswald's face flushed as a liquid numbness overtook his limbs, and he found himself absently extending his phone out to the awaiting palm. Jim's words echoed through his mind about continuing the conversation back at the apartment, and the instant emotional response made his throat tighten and his eyes glaze over knowing what such a statement meant for him. He was in trouble... again. He had no heroics to back up this deed though, and the realization that he should have told Jim about this particular act when he'd been punished previously was not lost on him. Jim had given him the opportunity to come clean, but Oswald too often thought himself much cleverer than he was. He'd assumed that he had gotten away with this ruse for this long, what was a couple more weeks? "I..." the words died in his throat, there really was no point in making things worse for himself, so Oswald just pursed his lips and lowered his head.

Jim took the phone, glancing once at the screen to confirm his suspicions before he put it away again, "Oswald," His voice was firm, and he waited for an acknowledgement before continuing, "We'll go back to the apartment and talk about what's going to happen now." He really meant the younger man's future... though truth be told, he knew they were going to have to deal with the punishment first.

Oswald glanced up upon hearing his name, and from his expression it was apparent the fear of Jim’s statement was starting to settle in. His lips were curled into a small pout of misery as he came to terms with the fact that heading home meant he’d most assuredly be taking a trip over Jim’s knee for a sound blistering. He was still a bit tender from the week prior although the marks were now gone; Oswald still felt the remembered ache like a ghost pain now as he sat on quivering cheeks well afraid of repeating that very experience but knowing there would be no avoiding it now.

Oswald so badly wanted to say something in his own defense, but looking at the disappointment reflecting back at him through Jim’s eyes had any rebuttal die in his throat. An overwhelming force of shame kept him from trying to pander further to the man as he shakily gathered up his backpack, did his best to hold back the tears that now welled in his eyes, and stood slinging his bag over his shoulder dejectedly to follow Jim back to the car.

Jim didn't walk in front of Oswald back to the car, instead stepping alongside the younger man. He didn't say anything, trying to figure out exactly what he needed to say... and what Oswald needed to hear. When he reached the car, he opened the passenger door, waiting for Oswald to get in before he stepped round to the driver's side.

Oswald couldn’t find any words for the way he felt now, what could he say that wasn’t already plainly seen from the manner Jim had come upon him? There certainly was no denying it especially after Jim had confiscated his phone and did a quick scroll through his texts. No, there wasn’t much left to say, that was for certain. As the two made it to the car and Jim opened his door, Oswald ambled in to sit resignedly feeling the finality of his fate as Jim forcefully shut the door and moved to climb into the driver’s side.

Oswald found he didn’t have the nerve to even look the man in the face now as the car moved into gear and the car pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main street. The silence was building its own tension, and Oswald couldn’t stand it any longer, “I’m really sorry… I didn’t mean for this to… I…,” he gulped as the tears that had been standing in his eyes finally fell, “It’s a mess I’d fashioned to help me research Fish, but after everything was said and done… I didn’t know how to pull out of the deal I’d already made without causing more of an upset! I thought that since the semester was coming to an end, I’d just ride it out and start fresh… I honestly didn’t mean for this to persist!” He didn’t know why he felt the need to explain himself so fervently, but the fact that he’d finally gotten himself on a relatively good path now seemed wrought with doubt from anyone looking in from the outside. Oswald knew that fact in itself was eating at him severely. The last thing he wanted was for Jim and the rest of his family to lose faith in him after everything he’d sacrificed to get to this point.

Jim took his time answering... mostly because he needed to figure out exactly how to word his response. Finally, he said, "Even though you shouldn't have been trying to research Fish, we'd already dealt with that. You should have told me and then we could have figured it out." There was a trace of disappointment in his voice, as he continued, "As it is... you're going to have to start afresh."

The weight of Jim’s disappointment felt heavy on his heart, and Oswald ducked his head in shame, “I know… I should have come clean about it last week, but I… It doesn’t matter now. All I can say is I’m sorry and try to prove to you that it won’t happen again.” Oswald grimaced as further tears spilled from his eyes; he hated how quickly he cried in front of Jim now. It was if a sensor inside him had been broken, and his emotions came flooding up to the surface more readily than they ever had before.

"I know you're sorry." Though Jim wasn't entirely convinced Oswald wasn’t just sorrier that he was caught even though he believed the remorse was genuine. "It's not the end of the world. There are consequences, but you can get past those and start over."

Oswald’s brow furrowed as his thoughts went to his classes and the consequences he’d face if he stopped going (or if Gus did), “I… I was attending the drama course and the classic writing, so I’ll still need to attend those to finish the semester… it was the afternoon periods I was… using as a cover for my research. If… if Gus doesn’t finish out the last of the semester, I’m going to fail those two courses. I wasn’t physically in the class, but I was still doing all the leg work,” Oswald’s lip tugged up in a nervous sort of smile. He didn’t think it would buy him any favor to share as much, but it couldn’t hurt for Jim to know he was at least doing the course work. Oswald grimaced at the thought of failing those courses as it meant his GPA would plummet, and it would take quite a bit to fix.

"I'm afraid it doesn't make a difference," Jim said. "I was able to talk to the board and persuade them to allow those two courses to be incomplete. While that's better than failing them outright, you will need to retake them."

Oswald blanched, “You… you talked to the board?” He was stunned at the realization that Jim had known for a while what he’d been up to. The revelation threw him for a loop, and he stared down at the dash thinking on the fact that Jim could have let him fail, but he went out of his way to help him, “What… what did you tell them?” He turned curious eyes to Jim now more than a little awed that the man had managed to pull off what he did. Somehow he’d convinced the school not to expel Oswald, and for that he was more than grateful.

"I told them you were in witness protection." Jim paused before adding, "You made a mistake, and I don't think you deserve to have your whole future in jeopardy because of it. But when it comes to education... I'm not going to be able to get you another chance. I need you to work with me on this."

Oswald nodded vigorously a warmth swelling in his chest, “Of course! I… I promise I won’t make such a mistake again!” He paused for a long moment just staring at Jim before he added softly, “Thank you… I know you didn’t have to do that, but I do appreciate that you did. I… I don’t know how I can make it up to you.”

"I told you before I believed you could be a good person," Jim said honestly. "That hasn't changed. And the only way I really want you to make it up to me is by using this second chance you have."

Oswald swallowed hard as his stare became deathly serious, “I won’t throw away this second chance, I swear, Jim. I want to prove to you I can do better; starting today, I promise no more lies or secrets.”

Jim nodded, taking part of his attention from the road to focus on Oswald. "I believe you." He believed the other man was sincere... and even if there still might be slip-ups, he hoped he was right in assuming that Oswald had learned the real lesson.

Oswald content in the fact that he had Jim’s vote of confidence felt a little better as he settled back in his seat. Of course now that he felt better on that front, it only left what he was to face as consequences for doing it in the first place. He knew he deserved it, but it didn't make it any easier to endure even if it made it easier to accept.

Oswald grew quiet remaining silent for the rest of the car ride and trip up the elevator to the apartment. It wasn’t until they got to the door did Oswald turn a plaintive expression on Jim, "I don't suppose we can keep this between you and I? I... I don't want to further disappoint mother and Barbara after everything I already put them through last week." He knew Jim likely wouldn't acquiesce, but Oswald had to try as the shame he was feeling was more than overwhelming him.

"I can do my best to keep it private," Jim replied. "But Barbara already knows what happened... and while we didn't tell your mother about it, I think they'll both be aware of the after-effects of what's about to happen."

Oswald's face flushed at the reminder as he averted his eyes to the floor, "Uh... I suppose they're going to find out eventually, but I think I'd prefer it to be afterwards. I... I don't think I can face them right now." His eyes drifted back up to Jim’s reflecting a silent apology.

Jim nodded. "I understand. And I know Barbara took your mother out, so you won't have to face them until they return."

Oswald seemed to visibly relax thankful for the small reprieve of dealing with the women knowing all the details and more so that they would not be present for what was to come next. He followed Jim into the apartment, and that relief he’d felt was short lived as the sound of the door closing behind him became a telltale sign that they were very close to the culmination of all his bad decisions literally coming back to bite him on the ass. He glanced back nervously at Jim for direction.

"We'll take care of this in your room," Jim said to Oswald... just in case the women came back while he was dealing with this. "I don't think there's anything else to be added..." he said.

Oswald’s shoulders slumped as he followed Jim’s cue to head back to the bedroom. He hobbled solemnly forward never looking back but feeling Jim trailing behind him in his casual yet authoritative manner that marked him as an officer of the law. Oswald dropped his book bag gently onto his desk and slowly turned back to face Jim. He didn’t speak, but his forehead was dotted in perspiration, and he wrung his hands in the building nervousness that now flooded through his limbs like a tide of ice numbing his insides.

Jim didn't waste any time in placing a hand on Oswald's shoulder, guiding the younger man to the bed. Having already retrieved the brush, he sat, placing the implement on the bed next to him, and then gently pulled Oswald across his lap.

Oswald followed Jim’s lead as if in a dream (or rather a nightmare) letting himself be guided over Jim’s knee. As soon as he was placed in position, Oswald couldn’t help letting go the sob that had risen in his throat from all the tension of getting brought to this point of being back here, over Jim’s lap… again. It was humiliating, and to keep ending up here because he couldn’t seem to manage not being able to screw up was more than humbling.

Jim settled Oswald with an arm wrapped around his waist and bared him. Before starting the spanking, though, he spoke quietly. "I want to make sure you understand why you're about to be punished."

Oswald stiffened as he felt the cool air from the sudden exposure shifting under the sensation of his pant legs pooling at his knees. He hated this feeling of vulnerability as he waited for the eventual pain to come. Although his bottom no longer showed any visible signs of his previous spanking (they’d only recently disappeared days ago) the remembered pain of that dreaded brush was well at the forefront of Oswald’s mind, and he was acutely aware that the muscle underneath still bore a tenderness that he knew would make this spanking that much more awful to bare. Jim’s voice echoed almost distantly now, and Oswald found himself responding in a warble, “I… I should have come clean about everything when you asked me the first time.”

"You should have," Jim agreed. "Being honest likely would have still got you punished for the deceit... but it would have certainly been less serious." He paused for a few seconds, to allow that to sink in, then lifted his hand and brought it down in the first crisp, hard smack that he then repeated.

Oswald whimpered at the words ‘would have been less serious,’ and as Jim’s calloused hand collided to land a deafening smack, Oswald couldn’t help but to jerk upward briefly lifting his heels in response to the impact.

Jim didn't waste any time in covering Oswald's entire backside, including his thighs, in the hard swats. He kept his arm around Oswald's waist and while the swats were hard, he was careful to make sure they weren't full force.

Oswald let out small grunts of discomfort as his bottom shook under Jim’s efforts; he did his best not to move, but after the fifth swat created a radiating sting that his mind could no longer keep up with, his body began to involuntarily twitch in timed anticipation to the pain.

Completing two full circuits of swats, Jim paused to pick up the brush, taking a tighter hold of Oswald in preparation for any kind of reaction.

Having done this twice before, Oswald noted the pause and felt the motion of Jim’s body shift as he retrieved the brush. He was already feeling quite sore, and a whine escaped his throat as he pleaded, “No please! Not the brush!” Oswald kicked his feet up to block his rear as his fear took hold of his better judgement. He knew better that he couldn’t stop this from happening, but he just couldn’t help but to react to try and stave it off momentarily.

Jim gently pushed Oswald's feet down. "The sooner we finish this, the quicker we can put it behind us," he said seriously.

Oswald only groaned in dismay letting Jim push his legs down as his whole body went rigid awaiting the first contact from the unforgiving implement. He did his best to prepare for the coming blow, but it felt like all of his nerves were on fire and wholly too sensitive for such harsh treatment.

Jim tightened his grip on Oswald and then brought the brush down in a strike that, although hard, was tempered.

Even though Jim held back the lion’s share of his strength, the brush packed plenty of a wallop and caused Oswald to call out and squirm with every new application of the brush. His bottom practically bounced off of Jim’s knee in an attempt to avoid the agony the brush delivered.

Jim continued to bring the brush down, knowing that it hurt... and regretting the necessity... but knowing it was indispensable. He didn't speak to scold, knowing they'd already covered exactly what Oswald had done wrong.

The relentless arch of the brush became too much to contend with, and Oswald's cries became squalls of pain as he twisted violently, "Jim! I can't take anymore! Please! I've learned my lesson! Believe me when I say I'm sorry! It'll never happen again!" His words broke into hitching mournful howls as Oswald was beside himself desperate to escape the horrible excruciating swats that seemed to only persist in intensity every time the brush came down to throb a reminder that he was in no way in control of his fate now.

"If something like this happens again... then it will be more severe, because I'm trusting you to be honest and tell the truth from now on," Jim said seriously, punctuating each word with a strike from the brush. He finished with a final few and then stopped, resting his hand on Oswald's back.

Oswald's voice broke as he screamed out, "It won't! It won't!" He sobbed harder as the last few brush strokes were applied. He moaned pitifully, "I'll be honest... from now on! I swear to you I will Jim!" Once it was said and done, Oswald’s sobs quieted, but the tears kept steadily coursing down his cheeks. The tears he shed now though held more than a hint of gratitude to know they were finally done, and he'd gotten through the worst of his punishment.

"I believe you," Jim reiterated... trusting that he'd now got through to the other man; and even if there were mistakes, they wouldn't be as costly as this one could have been.

Those words meant more to Oswald than Jim could know; he needed to hear that Jim had forgiven him, and more so that his faith in him had not been lost due to this dishonesty. Oswald simpered brokenly, “Thank… thank you! I… I’ll work to never give you cause to doubt me again!” He hoped what he spoke was true with every fiber of his being. The thought of letting Jim down after everything that they’d already been through was a blow to his ego. Oswald truly would do everything in his power now to keep his word.

Rubbing his back gently, Jim waited until Oswald calmed before he helped him up. "If you'd like, I can give Barbara a call and ask her and your mother to pick up something to eat."

Oswald clamored to his feet wanting to get his pants up as quickly as possible. He felt highly embarrassed and still unable, even after several times of Jim doing this to him, not to feel like he wanted to melt through the floor. His bottom burned, and Oswald found he couldn’t help but to reach back and rub lightly at the heated tender spots worked into his flesh; it practically throbbed in pain.

Oswald’s mind shifted to Jim’s words, he wasn’t sure if it would be better or not to have the women pick something up, but he wasn’t really in the mood to debate and only nodded lightly his agreement.

Jim gently rested his hand on Oswald's shoulder. "After I call them, perhaps we can talk about how to proceed from now," he suggested.

Oswald swallowed hard as he reluctantly nodded; he was sure this was going to be a conversation he wasn’t going to be fond of since it likely equated to more rules and restrictions.

Jim gave Oswald a reassuring smile and then took out his phone, dialing Barbara's number.

Jim’s smile did help to relax him as did the gentle squeeze to his shoulder as Jim started to converse with Barbara asking her to pick up some Chinese on their way back home.

“How did everything go?” Barbara questioned worriedly knowing that Jim had planned to go to Oswald’s school to catch him in the act.

"We've dealt with what happened," Jim said... though he didn't specify how they'd dealt with it. "And we're going to sit down and figure out where to go from now." While it would be important for both Barbara and Oswald's mother to know the direction Oswald would take, Jim didn't want to make the other man more uncomfortable.

Barbara understood, “We’ll take our time and see you in about an hour,” she and Jim shared pleasantries and hung up quickly to give Jim plenty of time to talk to Oswald as he’d intended.

Oswald stood stiffly beside Jim throughout catching the gist of their conversation from Jim’s side; he averted his gaze to the floor as his face now burned with the admission knowing full well that Barbara knew what ‘dealt with’ entailed. The thought of his mother finding out soon as well only further weighed on his heart.

"Would you like to talk in here, or perhaps move through to the kitchen, where we can have a drink?" Jim asked.

Oswald thought of the hard kitchen chairs and how sore he currently was quickly opting to avoid them, “I think I’d rather just stay in my room for a bit if that’s okay with you?” he noted his voice still sounded hoarse. He sniffed and wiped at the wetness on his face wanting to distance himself from the fact that he’d been crying. It was odd, but now that the spanking was over and the problem had been addressed, Oswald felt lighter of spirit and calmer as if now that everything was truly on the table, he could finally move on from all the things he had managed to entangle himself in. There was nothing left hanging over his head, and that in itself was a good feeling.

Jim nodded. "We can still have a drink in here, if you like." He figured, if he got some drinks, Oswald might feel better to wash his face and have a moment or two to compose himself.

Oswald gave a tight lipped smile and a nod, “Sure. That… that sounds good, thanks.” After Jim had left his room, Oswald carefully sat on his bed looking about his room with a sigh as his eyes settled on the pendulum that Jim had bought him as a token of friendship. The two’s relationship had come so far since that point, to look at the dial swinging back and forth, it only further cemented how time had passed and how much he had changed. It was a good change, and Oswald knew without the strength of character Jim possessed, he certainly wouldn’t be where he was right now. He’d likely be six foot under; thankfully that was not the case. Jim cared about him enough to help him straighten out his life and keep him on a better path, and although he wouldn’t openly remark on it, Oswald was appreciative that Jim had the courage to keep Oswald in line and out of trouble, so he actually had a chance to have a future now over being stuck in a life of crime.

It didn't take long before Jim was returning with two glasses of water, one of which he handed to Oswald. He sat down next to Oswald on the bed. "Since you have to start over anyway... is there anything you would prefer to study instead of what we'd already agreed on?" he asked.

Oswald took the cup and thanked Jim, and as the man sat, Jim’s question rolled through Oswald’s mind causing him to reevaluate his future once more. After a long pause, Oswald replied, “I think… maybe law. Not as an officer, with my leg and my constitution, it wouldn’t be a good fit, but maybe as a prosecuting attorney?” He looked up to gauge Jim’s response as he continued, “I think if it’s one thing that getting to know the seedier element of Gotham has taught me is how to spot a crook.” He smiled crookedly at the admission.

Jim nodded and gave a slight smile. "We can always use more attorneys." He didn't say honest ones, as he felt that was a given.

Oswald looked down into his cup his shoulders sagging as if finally finding the ability to relax a little next to Jim after the culmination of everything that happened. His mind was drifting to his mother now, and butterflies fluttered in his stomach at just the thought of the way her face would look when she found out what he’d done. It made him feel ill with remorse. He grimaced taking a glance at Jim before refocusing on the water swirling in slight tremors from his hands’ tight grip on his cup as he spoke, “I… I don’t really know how to approach this fiasco with mother… she’s going to be so disappointed.”

"I can't change how your mother might feel," Jim said. "But if you'd like, I can be there with you when she and Barbara come back... be there as a support while you talk to her."

Oswald sighed dejectedly, “No, it’s probably best if I talk to her about it just her and I in private.” He took in a deep breath resignedly as he drew his eyes up to meet Jim’s, “It’s not something that I want to put on you anymore than I already have.”

Jim nodded. "I respect your decision... but I don't see it as 'putting on me'. If you need or want the support... you'll have it."

Oswald smiled opening his mouth to answer when the sound of the front door opening and the women’s voices trailed down the hallway. He paused a moment longer before stating the obvious, “They’re back…” Hearing them moving into the kitchen, Oswald slid to his feet and brushed down the wrinkles in his clothes and quickly ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to look a little less disheveled before turning back to Jim looking more than a little anxious as he wrung his hands together, “I think I’m going to wait until after dinner to talk to her.”

Deciding not to point out that Oswald probably still looked disheveled and would invite concern from his mother, Jim merely nodded. "It's up to you when you feel comfortable enough to discuss it with her... but the longer you leave it, the harder it will be to bring up."

Oswald’s composure stiffened as he gave a brisk nod, “I know, I’m just hoping to make it through dinner without upsetting her. I will bring her aside afterward and let her know what I’ve done,” Oswald averted his eyes; just saying as much left him feeling chagrinned and ashamed all over again.

Jim rested a hand gently on Oswald's shoulder. "I will follow your lead in whatever you'd rather do," he said gently.

He glanced back up at Jim to force a tight lipped smile onto his face as he stated tiredly, “Thank you; I think it’s about time I started taking the responsibility of cleaning up my own messes.” Oswald let out a defeated sigh as he began to slowly hobble out the door and down the hall.

Gertrude was setting the table and Barbara was spooning out helpings of shrimp lo mien on the already set plates. The two were discussing an upcoming event Barbara was planning at the gallery when Oswald emerged. Both women glanced his way and gave him a warm smile.

“My boy!” Gertrude practically sung, “Come sit! Sit! Barbara has decided to treat us to something a little different for dinner tonight!”

Barbara’s smile wavered as she saw Oswald’s red rimmed eyes knowing exactly why he’d been crying. She turned quickly to head into the kitchen to fetch the napkins for lack of any other reason to move away from the scene in case Gertrude noticed as well but mostly because of the look Oswald had fixed her with letting her know that he had established the fact that she knew what happened to him as well.

Oswald didn’t speak opting to instead shuffle over to the seat he always used and doing his best to sit without causing any notice to the fact it pained him to do so.

True to his promise to Oswald, Jim didn't say anything about what had happened as he joined them for the meal. He began pouring out drinks for all of them, asking Gertrude what she and Barbara had been speaking about to try and move the conversation away from how obvious it was Oswald was in a bad way.

Barbara moved up to give Jim a quick affectionate peck, “I was just discussing what the theme was going to be for the next show. I was thinking with the summer months coming up that maybe a warm theme of reds and yellows, sunsets, beaches, summery pieces… just a celebratory bringing in of the new season to brighten the gala theme.”

Eager to keep the dinner topic casual, Oswald chimed in, “That sounds like a wonderful idea. Gotham could use the cheering,” he gave a small smile before turning to the food, “Thank you for picking this up for us, Barbara. It smells tasty.” As he spoke, Oswald was doing his best to avoid eye contact for too long.

Gertrude hadn’t seemed to notice his peculiar behavior taking her seat next to him and continuing to gush, “Oh! It is going to be perfect, Barbara. You always have such grand ideas for your gallery displays!”

The way the two got on sometimes made Oswald jealous, but at this moment, he was nothing but relieved that his mother was so caught up in Barbara’s plans to notice how disheveled he was.

Jim smiled warmly at Barbara. "Whatever theme you go with... I know it's going to look amazing," he said. "If you tell me when the show is on, I'll make sure I can make the time to come along for a viewing."

Barbara beamed, “It’s going to be together by next Saturday. You know I always like having you by my side.”

Feeling the ambiance of happiness exuding off of Barbara, Gertrude patted Oswald’s hand affectionately, “I am looking so forward to seeing it, Barbara. We all are!”

Oswald normally would have chimed in, but at the moment he was preoccupied with moving his fork about through the noodles on his plate lost in thought over what he would tell his mother once dinner was done. He knew that the happiness she radiated now would dim considerably, and that too only made him feel worse.

Never very good at putting on a poker face, Gertrude finally turned to look at Oswald with a growing concern for the way he was behaving, “Oswald, you are very somber; what’s the matter? Did you have a bad day at school?”

A bad day at school was an understatement! Oswald cleared his throat uncomfortably, “It… it’s fine mother. I’m… my head is elsewhere. Forgive me.” He glanced up at Jim and Barbara letting a weak smile filter across his face, “I’m sure your event will be breath taking, Barbara.”

Barbara gave Oswald a sympathetic smile knowing the man was strained and doing his best to put on a happy face when he obviously was anything but. She nodded her hand wrapping around Jim’s to give it a soft squeeze before she moved to take her own seat, “Thank you, Oswald.”

She took her glass of water in hand and gave it a nervous sip feeling a bit uncomfortable in the air of secrecy that surrounded them. Barbara and Gertrude had become very close in the past couple months spending almost every day together. She had become the mother that she’d always dreamed of and the woman had healed her own inner wounds that she’d not even realized needed cauterizing, and as it was, this felt like lying to her now. Her eyes drifted to Jim seeking solace in her connection with him now.

Jim glanced at Oswald, but there wasn't much he could say without revealing what the younger man didn't want to yet. He did catch Oswald's eye to give him a reassuring smile, though. And then, as Barbara looked towards him, he met her gaze and smiled gently. "I'll make sure I'm there," he promised, offering her the support he could... that he always tried to give her.

Barbara gave him an appreciative smile as she picked up her fork and began to eat. Everyone seemed to follow suit and very little else was shared while the meal was consumed.

As it became clear that dinner was over, Oswald rose taking both his and his mother’s empty plate to the sink to wash. The action surprised Gertrude as she was normally the one to do so, but Oswald was feeling rather fidgety and used the opportunity to step away from the group to get his mind settled and ready for the discussion he was about to have with his mother. It had his gut churning as if he could already see the look she was sure to give him.

Once he was finished with their dishes, Oswald hobbled forward nervously wiping the water from his hands on the sides of his pants as he stuttered, “M-mother? Would… would you accompany me for a moment back to my room? I… I need to speak with you about something important.”

The look on Gertrude’s face took on the aspects of clay frozen in place as she immediately realized that something was wrong and had to wonder what it could be. She quickly rose, “Of course Oswald!” She clasped her hands together nervously now as Oswald ducked his head from looking further at anyone else and swiftly stumbled off towards his room with his mother following at his heels and exuding a sense of dread.

When the two were alone in the living room, Barbara reached over to Jim’s lap to gently lay a hand on his thigh as she spoke barely above a whisper, “Well, that couldn’t have been a more nerve wracking dinner.” She glanced his way with a sympathetic frown, “How are you doing?”

"To be honest, I'm relieved that it's over and done with now," Jim admitted, placing his hand on Barbara's and squeezing gently. "I'm sorry for it being so nerve-wracking, but I couldn't break Oswald's trust and tell his mother before he was ready," he added.

Barbara nodded, “He wanted to break the news to her himself… that’s probably for the best.” She was quiet a moment before turning a grimace on Jim, “I imagine confronting him on the campus was difficult for both of you not to mention… well… you know. How did he take it?”

"Better than he could have done," Jim replied. "I think he was more affected emotionally... even though it was painful."

Barbara inhaled deeply, “That’s good to hear. Hopefully this will be the last time you have to… motivate him to stay on the right path. I will say, he has been doing much better the past couple months outside of what came out last week and the apparent fallout from it leading into this week.” She turned a smile on Jim then, “I’m proud of you Detective Gordon,” she nudged him playfully before becoming a little more serious, “You’ve really made a real difference in Oswald’s life. I can see it and so can Gertrude. I think you did truly save him from himself.”

Jim gave a slight smile. "I've noticed the difference as well," he admitted. "He's talked about wanting to study law... to be a lawyer."

“A lawyer?” Barbara blinked in surprise before nodding her agreement, “You know, I think that might make a good fit for him.”

********************************

Oswald could feel the intensity his mother was staring at him without needing to look at her. The thought of confessing to her what he’d been up to even though Jim had already taken him in hand had his stomach twisted, the food that he’d so recently ingested swirling in his gut uncomfortably in the wake of his emotions.

Gertrude watched every limp forward with a concerned air grazing over the entirety of her son and wholly afraid now to hear what Oswald had to say from the demeanor in which he’d addressed her to follow him. She wanted to ask Oswald if he were alright or reach out to halt him in his tracks just to see his face, but instead she mutely followed with timid steps all the while wringing her hands nervously.

It felt like one of the longest walks he’d endured with her, and as Oswald passed the threshold of his room’s doorframe, he finally cut his eyes back to observe his mother’s stricken countenance. An immediate shame flushed his face coloring his cheeks crimson as he cleared his throat, “Please mother,” Oswald leaned forward quickly pulling out his desk chair and guiding her by the hand to sit before him.

Gertrude silently seated herself her eyes fixing on him wide and imploring for Oswald to continue. She had meant to remain stoically patient, but her worry got the better of her, “What is going on, Oswald? You are scaring me.”

Oswald grimaced pained by her uneasiness as he shook his head, “No, no. Everything is alright… now. It… everything has been addressed,” Oswald absently reached back to give an unconscious rub at his aching posterior, “I… I haven’t been fully honest with you these past few months.”

“What… what do you mean?” Gertrude’s voice drew a shaky edge as her brow furrowed in apprehension of what words would pour from her son. She had thought they had come so far from the falsehoods that had been her perception of what Oswald had been up to after the point that Fish Mooney had been arrested and the nightmare of Oswald’s affiliations with Gotham’s notorious underworld had finally been severed.

His eyes fell to his feet as Oswald teetered unable to meet the bewilderment that his mother’s gaze reflected. Just saying he’d been hiding something from his mother Oswald could tell had hurt her. He’d trampled her expectations of him so many times these past few months that he wondered for a moment if he’d ever be able to fully regain face from the disintegration of trust that so many veiled secrets had created between them.

When he’d come clean the last time, he had hid behind the righteous act of bringing his arch nemesis to justice, but this… this was purely selfish. Oswald hadn’t wanted to deal with the further consequences of admitting to Jim about skipping his afternoon classes. He had felt he’d spent good money on Gus, too much money to not utilize him finishing out his contract. It also meant not having to endure both classes again if he’d simply gotten away with the untruth. No one had to know, but now everyone did know except for her. It was an awful perjury to have to admit to anyone as it was, but it was worse for the undeniable loss of faith in him such a revelation was sure to cause.

Oswald swallowed hard pushing himself to continue as he brought remorseful eyes back to regard her sadly, “I… I didn’t fully come clean last week. I should have, I know that now, but…” he found himself losing eye contact as he paused nostrils flaring with a deep exhale, “The truth is… I’ve been cutting my afternoon classes… I’ve been forgoing them since I started college in order to gain the time to have done my research in finding Fish. Once she’d been caught, I… well I left out that little bit of knowledge because I… I didn’t want to disappoint you further.” It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was also true. Oswald’s mouth twitched as he finally brought his gaze up to face her once more afraid what he would see in her staring back at him.

Gertrude took a long moment to just let Oswald’s words sink in and their meaning digest. She wore a pout that spoke volumes on how she felt betrayed by him, “Oh Oswald. This… you have made me very unhappy! You promised me that you would not lie to me, but what you are telling me now… how can you do this to your mother?”

Oswald moved closer dropping to his knees beside her and placing both his hands on her knee as he shook his head fervently, “No, no. I… It was a mistake! Please mother, I didn’t want to continue lying to you. I planned to end the charade at the end of this semester and make things right again! It was wrong of me to persist in such untruths, I realize, but I was weak! I didn’t mean to hurt you, believe me that it was the last thing I ever wanted to do!”

Tears welled in his eyes as he spoke to her, and seeing Oswald crumbling sent Gertrude’s walls to crash as tears pricked the corners of her own eyes through the empathetic bond they shared. Cupping his face, Gertrude leaned forward to plant a gentle kiss on top of Oswald’s forehead, “I forgive you, Oswald. I will always forgive you of this you know.”

Choking back the relief those words made him feel, Oswald turned a grateful smile up at her taking her hand in both of his and kissing it thrice thankful to know that she would give him another chance to prove himself worthy to her, “This is the last time I will lie to you mother. I’ll not take your forgiveness lightly. I’m going to be the man you always wanted me to be.”

********************************

Oswald stared out at the throng of guests as they stepped up to the podium one by one to receive their diplomas; the announcer’s voice seemingly miles away now. It had taken four long years; there had been bumps in the road, but nothing too serious. His studying had paid off, and he was finally reaping the rewards of such grueling dedication. With Jim’s help as the newly instated commissioner, Oswald already had an internship lined up at the GCPD to start his future career as a prosecutor under the tutelage of one of Gotham’s finest, Harvey Dent.

Oswald’s eyes fixated on the smartly dressed couple, Jim and Barbara who wore proud smiles directed at him, and sitting next to them was his mother who couldn’t stop waving at him excitedly and crying tears of joy. A quirky smile broke across his face as his chest swelled with pride. This was it! The culmination of everything he’d worked so hard to achieve was finally a reality.

 


End file.
